RASC News Agency: Local sources in Badakhshan province have reported that Mawlawi Habibullah Sarim, the Taliban’s district governor for Shahada (Zardew), along with his associates, physically assaulted doctors and staff at the district hospital. On Thursday, September 26, reports indicated that the maternity ward of the hospital had remained closed for two days, denying patients access to essential care. This incident followed the doctors’ inability to meet Sarim’s demands due to a severe shortage of medical equipment and resources. In retaliation, the Taliban official not only assaulted the medical personnel but also ordered the maternity ward’s closure.
Sources indicate that Sarim has demanded the dismissal of Wahidullah, the hospital’s manager; Dr. Haroon, the chief physician; and two female doctors. Despite several patients being in critical condition in the emergency ward, the Taliban official and his associates have obstructed the entry of female doctors, preventing them from providing necessary care. Local Taliban authorities in Badakhshan have yet to comment on this incident. Reports of Taliban officials and fighters assaulting or threatening medical staff have emerged from various parts of the country in the past.
Nearly a year ago, a Taliban member similarly threatened a female doctor at the central maternity hospital in Faryab. The Taliban, intoxicated by power and arrogance, impose their will upon the populace without accountability. The suffering citizens, enduring the illegal and inhumane actions of this group, find themselves without recourse, as there is no avenue for seeking justice. The Taliban perceive their words and actions as the ultimate authority, leaving no room for redress or justice for the victims of their tyranny.
