RASC News Agency: Local sources have confirmed that the Taliban detained and tortured an employee of the Norwegian Committee for Afghanistan in Kabul. The incident occurred on Saturday, December 1, in the Foroshgah area of the city. The individual, identified as Zamarud Khalid, was reportedly confined for several hours at an “unofficial” detention site, where he endured severe mistreatment. Zamarud Khalid is currently in a critical health condition. Sources reveal that he sustained significant injuries to his chest and back during the ordeal and is now receiving medical treatment. Disturbingly, this is not the first instance of abuse against Khalid. Two years ago, he was similarly detained by the Taliban in Kabul, subjected to torture, and held for nearly three months.
The reasons for his recent detention remain unknown, and the Norwegian Committee for Afghanistan has yet to release a statement. Nevertheless, this incident aligns with the Taliban’s broader pattern of targeting local employees of international aid organizations. Such individuals have frequently been detained and imprisoned across various regions of the country. In a similar case last year, the International Assistance Mission, another international humanitarian organization, reported that the Taliban had arrested 18 of its staff members in Ghor province and transferred them to Kabul for undisclosed reasons.
The Taliban’s relentless harassment of aid workers contrasts starkly with their apparent leniency toward foreign intelligence operations within Afghanistan. Dozens of intelligence offices, reportedly linked to the U.S., Russia, China, and Iran, continue to operate unimpeded, often staffed by foreign nationals. Curiously, the Taliban have refrained from interfering with these activities. Critics suggest that the group’s silence is influenced by substantial weekly financial contributions from the United States, which effectively turn a blind eye to foreign espionage activities within the country.
