RASC News Agency reports suggest that the Taliban in Herat province in western Afghanistan are executing drug addicts who refuse to quit, removing them from the city before killing them. A source in Herat, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed this information to RASC News Agency on Tuesday, April 23. The source reported that the number of drug addicts in the province is rising daily, and the Taliban have done little to help these individuals overcome addiction, despite expressing dissatisfaction with the situation.
According to the source, the Taliban have rounded up several addicts from the city to convey a message to Herat residents that the group is dedicated to eradicating addiction and preventing individuals from becoming dependent on drugs. Another source, who wished to remain unnamed, told RASC News Agency that the Taliban have imprisoned some addicts and beaten them to death. Addicts are patients who require treatment and rehabilitation by specialists, yet the Taliban have warned them that if they don’t quit drugs, they will face beating until death.
The source stated that approximately 25% of Herat’s addicts have been killed by the Taliban’s beatings and buried in valleys outside the city. This situation is raising alarm among the families of addicts, and international organizations must take immediate action to prevent these killings, the source added. The source also warned that if the situation of addicts in Herat is not addressed, the death toll among this group may rise.
Shakur, a relative of a drug addict in Herat, told RASC News Agency, “It’s been over two years since we’ve heard from my brother in the province.” He added, “My brother went abroad for a time, and upon returning to Herat, we discovered he had become addicted to drugs. It’s been over two years since we have heard anything about his situation.”
Shakur stated that according to rumors, his brother had been killed by the Taliban, and the location of his body remains unknown. “We’ve sought information about my brother’s whereabouts from many Taliban entities, but the authorities claim to have no information,” he added.
Civil activist Jaber Naeemi, from western Afghanistan, stated, “The Taliban exploit addicts as a bargaining chip to secure funding from international organizations.” He continued that the situation is unacceptable to addicts and their families, who are seeking solutions to these problems.
According to Naeemi, “The life of an Afghanistani is worth more than millions of U.S. dollars, and the Taliban should understand that humanity and Islam hold higher spiritual value than material matters.” It is important to note that over the last two years, dozens of addicts have died in western Afghanistan.
Reports indicate that half of these addicts were killed by the Taliban for various reasons, while the other half succumbed to the harsh winter weather.
