Taliban Accused of Torturing Daykundi Residents to Force Them to Buy and Surrender Weapons

DID Press: Local sources in Afghanistan’s central Daykundi province say Taliban forces in Ashtarlay district have tortured several residents and forced them to confess to possessing weapons, before compelling them to purchase firearms from the group and hand them over to its intelligence agency.

The sources told DID Press that the individuals were arrested on allegations of possessing weapons and having family ties to former government security force members. Some detainees were reportedly subjected to severe torture, including suffocation with plastic bags, to force them to confess to keeping weapons.

According to the sources, some of those detained had previously owned personal firearms and had been forced to surrender them. However, even residents who did not possess weapons were allegedly tortured and coerced into confessing, then forced to buy the firearms demanded by the Taliban from the group itself and deliver them to its intelligence agency.

Most of the reported incidents took place in recent days in the Sheikh Miran area of Ashtarlay district.

The sources identified seven people who had been arrested and detained over the past two weeks: Rahmat, son of Hussain Dad; Sarwar, son of Qurban; Rahmat, son of Taj Mohammad; Hashim, son of Chaman; Ali, son of Qader; Abdul Azim, son of Dawood; and Abdul Rauf.

The sources said methods such as suffocation with plastic bags were used to pressure detainees into making confessions and compel them to obtain and surrender weapons.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that pressure on residents has also increased in Yakawlang District 1 of Bamyan province. Local sources said the Taliban’s intelligence chief in the district had arrested and tortured dozens of people over allegations of possessing weapons during the past month.