KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A young man died after being severely beaten by Taliban forces outside the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh province, as they forcibly dispersed a crowd of visa applicants, according to local sources.
The victim, identified as Ataullah, hailed from the Almar district in the Faryab province. Witnesses say he was among a large group of people gathered outside the consulate on Saturday, seeking Iranian visas.
As the crowd grew, Taliban security forces intervened, using force to break up the gathering.
Ataullah sustained serious injuries during the crackdown and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
At least six others were also injured, some critically, and remain under medical care.
The Taliban provincial authorities have yet to comment on the incident.
The violent dispersal has raised concerns over the treatment of civilians, particularly those seeking legal migration opportunities amid Afghanistan’s worsening economic and humanitarian crises.
