Taliban Installs Surveillance Cameras Across Panjshir

The Taliban has installed surveillance cameras in several areas of Panjshir province, the Ministry of Interior announced on Monday, claiming the move is intended to improve security and public safety.

In a statement issued on 2 June, the ministry said it expects the cameras to help reduce criminal activity in the province. It did not specify how many cameras had been installed.

Over the past several years, numerous reports have documented Taliban abuses and human rights violations in Panjshir. Local residents and human rights organisations have repeatedly accused Taliban fighters of violent and abusive conduct, particularly in the aftermath of military clashes in the province.

Panjshir was the only province to mount an armed resistance following the collapse of the former Afghan government in 2021, with the National Resistance Front, led by Ahmad Massoud, opposing Taliban control. The province witnessed weeks of heavy fighting before the Taliban eventually seized military control.

Since then, the Taliban has launched multiple operations aimed at eliminating remaining opposition forces in the region, including airstrikes and mass arrests.

The Taliban has previously pursued similar surveillance initiatives. In 2023, the group announced plans to install 60,000 surveillance cameras across Kabul to enhance security. At the time, Amnesty International warned that such large-scale monitoring could result in a sweeping system of surveillance and repression targeting Afghan citizens.