KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban have detained at least 15 people from a village in northern Faryab province over the past week, all of whom were former soldiers and tribal elders, local sources reported.
According to the sources, the arrests took place in the village of Badghisi, Khwaja Sabzposh district, between September 18 and September 26. Some were reportedly taken during nighttime raids on their homes and transferred to Maymana, the provincial capital. Their exact whereabouts remain unknown.
Sources said the Taliban have not provided information to the families of those detained, and the motive for the arrests is unclear.
The detentions have reportedly created a climate of fear in the district, with many residents staying indoors to avoid arrest.
The incident comes amid a continuing pattern of detention, abuse, and killings of former Afghan soldiers, government officials, and civilians by the Taliban, despite repeated promises of a “general amnesty.”
The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented at least seven killings, eight arbitrary arrests, and three cases of torture involving former soldiers between April and June 2025. Between August 2021 and June 2023, UNAMA recorded 800 such cases, including 218 killings, 400 arbitrary arrests, and 14 enforced disappearances.
The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Taliban for acts of revenge and widespread human rights violations, urging the regime to respect the rights and freedoms of all citizens, including former soldiers.
