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Taliban Detains School Teacher in Panjshir Amid Ongoing Crackdown

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban agents have detained school teacher Mohammad Hashm Hashemi in Panjshir province amid their ongoing crackdown in the region, local sources reported.

Sources told KabulNow that Hashemi was detained in Dara district of Panjshir on Thursday, January 16. This is the second time the teacher has been detained, with the first occurring in November last year, when he was arrested alongside three other Panjshir residents.

The motive behind his detention remains unclear, and local Taliban authorities have yet to comment. However, the regime often detains residents of Panjshir on allegations of connection to armed resistance groups or possession of weapons.

In the past two weeks alone, the Taliban have reportedly detained at least 20 individuals in Panjshir, including former military personnel and young residents.

Panjshir, located north of Kabul, has been a stronghold for two major anti-Taliban factions: the National Resistance Front (NRF) and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF). The region has faced some of the most severe reprisals from the Taliban since their return to power.

Rights groups and activists argue that the Taliban’s mistreatment of Panjshir residents constitutes war crimes. A 2023 Amnesty International report highlighted the Taliban’s use of collective punishment in Panjshir, documenting widespread abuses, including unlawful detentions, torture, and executions.