RASC News Agency: Local sources in Panjshir report the arrest of a former national security officer by Taliban intelligence forces following his return from Iran. Sources indicate that Mohammad Ayoub, a former officer in the National Directorate of Security (NDS) under the previous government, was apprehended by Taliban intelligence on Tuesday, December 17, in Panjshir’s central district. According to insiders, Ayoub had sought refuge in Iran after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. He had recently returned to his homeland, reportedly maintaining no political or military affiliations with groups opposed to the Taliban.
One source explained that the arrest reflects a broader campaign of targeting former government personnel in Panjshir. The Taliban have been accused of repeatedly detaining and mistreating such individuals under various pretexts. Taliban authorities in Panjshir have not issued any statement regarding Ayoub’s detention. This latest incident follows reports of the Taliban apprehending and allegedly torturing two other individuals from Panjshir’s Paryan district. Since their return to power, the Taliban have engaged in widespread arrests, detentions, and torture of former officials and military personnel across Afghanistan.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his recent report, underscored the continued detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings of former government and security officials in the country. Several international human rights organizations have denounced the Taliban’s actions, condemning their arbitrary detentions as gross violations of human dignity and fundamental rights.
