Taliban forces have detained the 12-year-old son of prominent cleric and vocal Taliban critic Mawlawi Abdul Qadir Qanit during a raid on the family’s home in Kabul, sources close to the family told Afghanistan International.
Qanit himself was arrested two days earlier from the same residence.
According to the sources, the Taliban stormed the home on Thursday morning. The cleric’s eldest son reportedly fled to avoid arrest, prompting Taliban fighters to detain the younger child instead. During the raid, family members were allegedly insulted and humiliated as Taliban forces conducted a search of the house.
Afghanistan International obtained video footage of Qanit’s arrest earlier in the week, showing plainclothes Taliban intelligence agents arriving in a civilian vehicle, entering the alley outside his home, and forcibly taking him away in front of neighbours.
The reason for the child’s detention remains unknown.
Mawlawi Qanit is one of the few religious scholars who have consistently and publicly criticised the Taliban’s rule, frequently speaking out against the group’s policies and consolidation of power. He was previously detained by Taliban intelligence for his outspoken remarks.
The arrest of Qanit’s son marks a growing trend of Taliban pressure on critics and their families, further raising alarm among human rights observers.
