The Taliban has released a total of 50 residents of the northeastern Panjshir province who have been imprisoned by the group over alleged connections with anti-Taliban forces which the group described as the “enemies” of Afghanistan.
These people were imprisoned on the allegations of having connections with the “enemies” of Afghanistan, reported the country’s national television which is now run by the Taliban.
Elderly people are also seen among released prisoners.
Baz Mohammad is one of those released detainees who said he was imprisoned in the Taliban’s intelligence detention center known as Directorate 40 for nine months.
Panjshir is a volatile province under Taliban rule where the National Resistance Front (NRF) was founded by Ahmad Masoud when the group captured Kabul in August 2021. Ahmad Masoud is the son of the well-known Mujahideen commander, Ahmad Shah Masoud.
Formed of mostly former Afghan security forces, the NRF has effectively expanded its areas of operations against the ruling Taliban from Panjshir and Baghlan to Takhar and Badakhshan provinces.
In September, the Taliban deployed thousands of heavily armed forces in the northeastern Panjshir province and started a military crackdown on the NRF fighters.
The battle between the two sides lasted several weeks and left huge casualties on both sides, including the summary execution of the NRF prisoners during the battle.
After the battle, the Taliban continued to harass, detain, torture, and kill civilians in Panjshir on charges of having connections with the NRF.
