RASC News Agency: Local sources in Takhar province report that Abdul Nasir, a resident of Farkhar district, has died as a result of torture inflicted by Taliban intelligence forces. According to these sources, he was arrested on Tuesday, February 25, and by the night of Friday, 28, his lifeless body was returned to his family. Reports indicate that he was detained at his shop in the Tut-Bagh area of Taloqan, yet the Taliban have provided no explanation for his arrest. A relative of Abdul Nasir stated that following his detention, several influential local figures engaged in negotiations with Taliban officials in an effort to secure his release. The Taliban reportedly confirmed his detention and assured mediators that he would be freed soon. However, instead of his release, his family was presented with his body on the night of February 28. Relatives insist that his corpse bore clear signs of torture, leading them to believe he succumbed to severe mistreatment while in Taliban custody.
This incident is not an isolated case. Reports over the past three years indicate that dozens of detainees have perished in Taliban prisons due to torture and inhumane treatment. Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the Taliban for unlawful detentions, systematic torture, and extrajudicial killings. In October 2024, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada acknowledged reports of detainee deaths under torture. During a visit to Kunduz province, he admitted receiving intelligence on such incidents and claimed to have questioned a senior prison official about whether these executions were judicially sanctioned or carried out extrajudicially. The official allegedly denied personal involvement, asserting that his subordinates had committed the killings without his knowledge.
Despite these revelations, Akhundzada has yet to take any concrete action against those responsible for the torture and deaths of detainees, leaving a troubling silence over the fate of prisoners in Taliban custody.
