KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban continue to arrest, torture, and kill former government officials and soldiers in Afghanistan despite claims of a general amnesty, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a new report released Tuesday.
UNAMA documented at least 14 killings of former members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) between July and September 2025. The report also recorded 21 cases of arbitrary detention and several cases of torture of former government and security officials across the country.
UNAMA said Taliban authorities have also targeted former officials and soldiers returning from Iran. On September 29, the group’s counter-terrorism unit in Faryab province arrested several former security personnel shortly after their return, with no clear charges against them.
UNAMA said it also documented 451 arbitrary arrests by Taliban morality police for activities such as listening to music, beard trimming, or violating dress codes, along with 44 cases of mistreatment. Detainees were held for several hours to days and released only after signing written guarantees.
Between July 16 and 19, at least 60 women and girls were detained in Kabul for allegedly violating hijab rules and released after their male relatives provided written guarantees, according to the report.
On religious freedom, UNAMA said the Taliban continue to arrest and mistreat individuals accused of religious violations. In July, a Taliban court in Paktika sentenced one person to death for alleged blasphemy. The report also said Taliban authorities in several districts of Badakhshan province are pressuring members of the Ismaili community to convert to the Sunni Hanafi sect.
In Nusai, Shakai, and Maimai districts, Ismaili families are reportedly required to enroll their children in Sunni madrassas or face fines of 20,000 to 100,000 Afghanis ($250–$1,260), according to UNAMA.
The mission further noted that Afghan journalists, particularly women, continue to face financial hardship, restrictions, and the risk of detention while carrying out their work.
The Taliban have not yet responded to the latest findings. The group has previously dismissed reports of human rights violations and killings of former soldiers as “propaganda.”
