Arrests Rise in Badakhshan After Taliban Local Leadership Changes

Local sources in Badakhshan say a new wave of arrests has begun alongside changes to Taliban local officials in the province, with dozens of people, mainly former Afghan government personnel, detained. According to these sources, the increase in arrests has forced some former security personnel to go into hiding to avoid detention.

Sources said the arrest campaign has intensified significantly since Rahmatullah Najib began work as the Taliban administration’s new governor in Badakhshan and Mullah Ahmad Shah Din-Dost was appointed the province’s new police chief. They say the number of detainees could be more than 40.

Local sources added that at least 15 people have been arrested in the past two weeks alone on accusations of cooperating with the group known as the “Patriots’ Front.” The Taliban administration has so far issued no official explanation regarding the exact number of detainees or the details of these measures.

In Argo district, following Tuesday’s clash in Ganda Cheshma village, the Taliban administration launched a sweeping house-to-house search operation. Local sources said more than 10 former security personnel were detained during the operation.

Media outlets close to the Taliban administration have also published videos in which some detainees confess to being recruited for opposing fronts. In one of these videos, a man is seen in detention with blood flowing from one hand, while an armed Taliban administration member stands beside him.

At the same time, sources in Khashm district have also reported the arrest of a number of former security personnel, especially in the Farjghaniha area. Opposition fronts to the Taliban administration have so far not officially confirmed the arrest of any of their members.

These arrests are being reported after recent changes in Badakhshan’s local leadership. Rahmatullah Najib, the Taliban administration’s new governor in Badakhshan, began his work on Sept. 1, and in addition to him, some changes have also been made at the district level in the province. Badakhshan is one of northeastern Afghanistan’s provinces and has repeatedly been the scene of security tensions and search operations in recent months.