RASC News Agency: Public sources have reported that the head of the Taliban’s Department for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Takhar province has been arrested by the group’s intelligence forces for publicly praising Ahmad Shah Massoud. According to sources, Habibullah Hanafi, the Taliban official responsible for enforcing virtue in Takhar, was detained by the Taliban’s intelligence service after he commended Ahmad Shah Massoud during an official ceremony.
Mr. Hanafi was reportedly taken into custody during an event at the Takhar Governor’s Office, where he expressed his admiration for Massoud. The arrest occurred after Hanafi delivered remarks at a “Department Coordination” event, held in the conference hall of the Governor’s Office. In a leaked audio recording, Mr. Hanafi is heard saying, “Massoud kept nothing for himself. Afghanistan has seen many great figures, but two of them stand out with a noble reputation: one is Ahmad Shah Massoud, who left no personal wealth despite his power and influence, and the other is Mullah Mohammad Omar Akhund.”
Independent sources confirm that hours after making these remarks, Mr. Hanafi was arrested on the orders of Qari Abid, the Taliban’s head of intelligence in Takhar, and subsequently imprisoned. Habibullah Hanafi, an Uzbek native from the Burka district of Baghlan province, served as the Taliban’s head of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue in Takhar. This is not the first time the Taliban have arrested individuals for praising Ahmad Shah Massoud, one of the most revered anti-Taliban commanders. The group remains intolerant toward any positive reference to its opponents, reinforcing its policy of silencing dissent, even when it pertains to historical figures admired by many.
