KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban authorities have arrested a former Afghan soldier in Nimroz province after he was deported from Iran, sources report.
The individual, identified as Mohammad Atiq Dara, is originally from Dara district in Panjshir province.
A source in Panjshir said that the Taliban detained Mohammad Atiq on Friday, March 28, upon his entry into Afghanistan from Iran through Nimroz province.
His whereabouts remain unknown since his arrest.
Atiq previously served in the former Afghan National Army (ANA) and was stationed in Helmand province. The reason for his arrest remains unclear.
The Taliban have previously detained and imprisoned hundreds of ex-soldiers and former government officials and have been accused of carrying out revenge killings against them.
Arrests of Panjshir residents have been widespread, as the Taliban often accuse them of collaborating with anti-Taliban resistance forces or possessing weapons.
Rights groups have warned Iran against deporting Afghan refugees, cautioning that many remain at risk of Taliban retaliation or face severe economic hardship due to Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
