Five Former Afghan Soldiers Arrested by Taliban After Returning from Iran

Five former soldiers from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan were arrested by the Taliban upon returning to the country from Iran. According to reports, the arrests took place on November 19 in Charikar, the capital of Parwan province. More than a week later, there is still no official information about their whereabouts or condition.

A reliable source who spoke to Independent Persian identified the men as Soleiman, Shirin Mullah, Gulbuddin, Aleem, and Jan Mohammad. All are residents of Ruy Darah village in Shotul district of Panjshir province—an area that saw intense clashes during the anti-Taliban resistance.

Alongside a growing wave of forced returns of Afghan migrants from Iran, there are increasing reports of former military and government personnel being detained by the Taliban. Many of these individuals have been arrested after being deported from Iran and crossing back into Afghanistan, often without their families receiving any detailed information.

Despite previous Taliban promises of a general amnesty, targeted arrests of former government figures are continuing. Concerns are mounting over the treatment of detainees by Taliban authorities, a lack of transparency in judicial processes, and a rise in disappearances of prominent individuals.