Taliban Detain 24 Panjshir Residents After Group Gathering

Taliban forces have detained 24 residents of Panjshir province, some of whom were recently deported from Iran, for reasons that remain unclear, local sources said on Monday.

The individuals were arrested on Sunday evening in Anaba district after Taliban fighters reportedly grew suspicious of their gathering in one location.

Sources said the detainees were initially taken to a military unit before being transferred to a prison.

Taliban officials informed the detainees’ families that their relatives would be released following the completion of investigations.

Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have tightened security in Panjshir, long viewed as a centre of anti-Taliban resistance. The province was the base of the National Resistance Front, led by Ahmad Massoud, which opposed Taliban rule after the fall of the former government.

As part of its heightened security measures, the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that surveillance cameras had been installed across several parts of Panjshir. The ministry said the move was intended to “ensure better security and public safety.”