RASC News Agency: Residents of Parwan province have accused Taliban members of engaging in blatant coercion and abuse of power. In a recent incident on Tuesday, January 14, Taliban fighters reportedly dined at a restaurant along the Salang route but refused to settle their bill. According to sources, when restaurant staff demanded payment, the Taliban fighters responded with physical assault before leaving the premises. Local residents assert that such incidents are commonplace, with Taliban members routinely refusing to pay for meals at restaurants owned by Tajiks in the Jabal al-Saraj district.
A video circulating widely on social media captures the confrontation between the restaurant staff and Taliban members. As of now, local Taliban officials in Parwan have refrained from commenting on the matter. These allegations add to a growing list of grievances against the Taliban. Citizens have previously accused the group of systematic extortion and abuse. Since the Taliban’s rise to power enabled by Ashraf Ghani’s administration, support from regional and international intelligence networks, and deals with the United States their conduct has been marked by widespread oppression. Despite their claims of defeating Western forces, their rule has been characterized by authoritarianism and systemic discrimination, particularly against Afghanistan’s non-Pashtun communities.
Among the hardest-hit are the Tajiks, who have long been victims of ethnic favoritism under the regimes of Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Hamid Karzai. The Taliban’s actions reveal a continued animosity toward non-Pashtun communities. Through coercion and unchecked power, the group exerts relentless pressure, further marginalizing and oppressing these populations.
