KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources have confirmed that the Taliban has detained Mohammad Aref Musleh, a member of the former Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), in Kabul.
Musleh, originally from Panjshir province, previously served as the chief of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in Rukha district of Panjshir during the Republic government. He was reportedly arrested 10 days ago in the Kart-e-Parwan neighborhood of Kabul.
According to sources, after the government’s collapse in 2021, Musleh fled to Iran. He recently returned to Afghanistan after receiving a “letter of immunity” from Taliban authorities.
The Taliban have yet to comment on the circumstances of Musleh’s detention. However, their crackdown on former ANDSF members, particularly those from Panjshir, has continued and intensified in recent weeks.
Three days ago, local sources reported the detention of three Panjshir residents, including two former soldiers, by Taliban intelligence agents in the Dara district of Panjshir and Kabul. The motive behind their detention and their current whereabouts remain unclear.
In a recent report, covering the period from August to October, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres documented at least five killings, 14 arbitrary arrests, and four instances of torture of former government officials and ANDSF members by the Taliban.
In most cases, the Taliban accuses former ANDSF members, especially those from Panjshir, of possessing weapons or collaborating with armed resistance groups such as the National Resistance Front (NRF) or the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF).
Human rights organizations and the UN have repeatedly condemned the Taliban for revenge killings and widespread human rights abuses. They have called on the regime to uphold the rights and freedoms of all citizens, including former members of the ANDSF.
