RASC News Agency: Credible local sources in Sar-e-Pul province have revealed a deeply disturbing development: the Taliban’s central intelligence command has officially appointed Mawlawi Shir Mohammad Nusrat, commander of the group’s special forces unit in the region, to lead a covert campaign of targeted assassinations against former Afghanistan’s military and security personnel across Jowzjan and Sar-e-Pul provinces. According to security insiders with direct knowledge of the situation, Nusrat was actively involved in orchestrating assassinations of government forces even prior to the collapse of the Republic in August 2021. Since the Taliban’s return to power, his role has reportedly expanded, with the group now institutionalizing revenge killings under the pretext of “intelligence operations.” The appointment of a figure like Nusrat known for his brutality and absolute disregard for legal norms marks a dangerous escalation in the Taliban’s campaign of terror against those affiliated with the former Afghanistani state.
In a recent incident emblematic of the Taliban’s deepening lawlessness, armed men loyal to Mawlawi Nusrat launched a violent raid on the police command center in Sayyad district, Sar-e-Pul. Their objective, according to sources on the ground, was the forceful release of one of Nusrat’s relatives reportedly his maternal uncle who had been detained on criminal charges. The operation resulted in the humiliation of Taliban police units, who were overpowered and disarmed by fellow Taliban militants operating under a different chain of command. This outrageous intra-group assault illustrates the fractured, clan-based nature of Taliban governance and the impunity enjoyed by commanders with personal militias. It further reinforces growing public fears that the Taliban’s so-called Islamic Emirate is not a coherent state but a network of warlords operating under a religious guise, engaged in unchecked abuse of power, score-settling, and systemic human rights violations.
Since their violent takeover, the Taliban have repeatedly claimed that a general amnesty is in effect, promising that no retaliation would be carried out against former government officials or security forces. However, a flood of evidence including testimonies from victims’ families, leaked documents, and credible human rights reports has thoroughly discredited these assurances. Instead, the Taliban have engaged in a systematic campaign of arrests, disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial executions, particularly targeting Afghanistani soldiers, police officers, and intelligence personnel. Mawlawi Nusrat’s growing prominence within the Taliban’s military-intelligence structure is a chilling symbol of the group’s betrayal of its own hollow commitments to reconciliation. By empowering notorious figures with a history of violence and tribal favoritism, the Taliban are clearly signaling that their governance model is one of vengeance, not justice; of repression, not reconciliation.
This trend is especially concerning in northern Afghanistan, where the presence of anti-Taliban sentiment has historically been strong. The appointment of hardline commanders like Nusrat risks further destabilizing the region, eroding any remaining public trust, and provoking future cycles of resistance and bloodshed. Despite the international community’s relative silence, these developments demand urgent attention. The Taliban’s ongoing campaign to eliminate former Afghanistani military personnel constitutes a gross violation of international humanitarian law. If left unchallenged, it will not only extinguish the last flickers of hope for justice in Afghanistan but will embolden militant actors across the region who view the Taliban’s success as a model for authoritarian, religiously justified rule.
The case of Mawlawi Nusrat must serve as a wake-up call to the world. His actions and the regime that enables them are not merely a domestic security concern but part of a broader architecture of Taliban impunity, brutality, and unaccountable rule. Failing to act now will come at the cost of countless innocent lives, and will further entrench a regime that continues to rule through terror, not legitimacy.
