RASC News Agency: Local sources in Herat report that the Taliban have once again detained Mohammad Asif Faizyar, the director of Nida-ye Baloch, a prominent news agency. According to reports, Faizyar was summoned on Wednesday by Mawlawi Mudassir, the Taliban’s security chief in Herat, and has since disappeared without a trace. Sources indicate that Faizyar was called in at 6 PM and has remained incommunicado ever since. This marks his second arrest by the Taliban. His previous detention had already forced Nida-ye Baloch to suspend its operations. So far, neither the Taliban nor media advocacy organizations have commented on the situation.
Nida-ye Baloch primarily covered news related to the Taliban and Afghanistan, distributing its reports via social media, particularly on Telegram. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the agency declared: “With deep regret, we must inform our audience that due to the arrest of Mohammad Asif Faizyar, the director of Nida-ye Baloch, by the Herat Provincial Security Command, all broadcasts will be suspended effective immediately.” Despite the agency’s generally pro-Taliban editorial stance, Faizyar was reportedly arrested for his consistent use of Persian terminology such as daneshgah (university), dadestan (prosecutor), and dadgah (court) instead of their Pashto equivalents.
Observers note that the Taliban demand absolute political, ethnic, religious, and linguistic compliance from the media. While they tolerate outlets that align with their political and ideological narrative, any deviation especially in linguistic policies that favor Persian over Pashto is deemed unacceptable and met with swift suppression.
