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Taliban Detains Former Soldier in Panjshir Province

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban agents have detained a member of the former Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in the northeastern Panjshir province, local sources reported.

Speaking with KabulNow today, the sources identified the former soldier as Saeed Umar, who was detained by Taliban agents in the Hesa-e-Awal district on Thursday, August 29.

According to the sources, the Taliban agents have taken the former soldier to a prison in the Dashtak neighborhood of the province.

The motive behind the detention of the former soldier remains unclear, as local Taliban authorities have not given his relatives a reason for their action.

However, sources said that after the collapse of the previous government, he was unemployed and had no ties to any groups opposing the Taliban.

Following their return to power, the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, announced a “general amnesty” for employees of the previous government. Despite this, local commanders and members have continued to carry out revenge attacks, especially targeting former security personnel.

For nearly three years, hundreds of former government officials, members of the previous security forces, and civilians have been detained, tortured, killed, or have disappeared across the country.

A week ago, Taliban agents detained a former military commander named Ahmad Shah in eastern Nangarhar province, shortly after his return from Iran, where he had been assured of his safety by Taliban authorities.

As with the recent incident, the reason for the arrest and the fate of the former military commander remain unknown, and local Taliban authorities have yet to comment.

Rights groups and activists have repeatedly accused the Taliban of gross human rights violations, expressing concerns that revenge killings and enforced disappearances of former security forces have not stopped despite the regime’s “general amnesty.”

The latest arrest is also part of the Taliban’s ongoing crackdowns on Panjshir residents. Over the past three years, the regime has detained, tortured, and killed hundreds of former soldiers and civilians in the province, often accusing them of collaborating with armed anti-Taliban groups or possessing weapons.