RASC News Agency: Residents of Farah province in western Afghanistan report that Taliban forces in the area are using government vehicles for personal purposes. A local source in Farah, speaking on condition of anonymity, informed RASC News Agency on Sunday, May 19, that Ranger vehicles, originally part of the national police fleet under the Republic, are now being used by Taliban forces for their personal tasks.
According to the source, Taliban members utilize these vehicles to transport items such as cement, firewood, furniture, carpets, and timber. The source explained that government and military assets are public property, and due to a lack of proper knowledge, the Taliban do not know how to appropriately use these resources. Another anonymous source in western Afghanistan revealed to RASC that Taliban commanders occasionally use government vehicles, particularly Rangers, for weddings and other celebrations.
The source added that the Taliban leadership has not issued any statements or declarations regarding this misuse. However, if a minor incident involves civilians, they pursue it relentlessly. According to the source, the misuse of government vehicles by the Taliban is just one aspect of their broader exploitation of public resources. Additionally, several civil activists in western Afghanistan confirm that some clerics, through unethical actions, have tarnished the reputation of esteemed religious scholars, acting against both human and Islamic values.
Asif Rajabi, a civil activist in western Afghanistan, told RASC News Agency that the Taliban’s actions have exceeded the bounds of disgrace and severely challenged public opinion. He stated that the initial expectations people had of the Taliban are no longer held. Attempts to obtain comments from Taliban officials in Herat province on this matter were unsuccessful.