A resident of Baghlan-e Markazi, the provincial center of Baghlan, whose home was robbed by thieves posing as Taliban intelligence forces conducting an inspection, says that nearly eight months have passed since he began pursuing his case through Taliban institutions, yet the suspects were released in exchange for money and through the use of intermediaries. He is demanding the re-arrest of the thieves and the recovery of gold jewelry and other stolen property from his home. Meanwhile, documents show that Taliban intelligence units have confirmed to senior Taliban officials that the suspects were involved in robbing this man’s home, and that following their arrest, they were released after forging identity documents, changing SIM card registrations, and paying bribes. According to these documents, some Taliban intelligence officials have stated that the suspects are well-known, professional thieves from Baghlan who were involved in armed robberies and looting during the Republic era and continue to operate today. This comes as citizens of Afghanistan have repeatedly raised concerns about a surge in armed robberies, noting that some thieves pose as Taliban intelligence operatives, enter people’s homes under the guise of conducting inspections, and loot their belongings.
A resident of Baghlan-e Markazi says that eight months ago, thieves entered his home under the pretext of an intelligence inspection and took everything he owned. According to him, two of the thieves were tracked through their SIM cards and arrested by the Taliban two days later, but were subsequently released after paying bribes.
The man says some Taliban officials in Baghlan cooperated with the thieves, going so far as to obtain forged identity documents for them to block their transfer to Kabul. He says several individuals involved in the case had ties to the thieves and, for that reason, prevented their transfer. He alleges that the suspects were released from a Taliban court in Baghlan-e Markazi after paying bribes, even as Taliban intelligence agencies confirmed that the individuals had forged their identity documents and transferred their registered SIM cards into the names of others.
The man, whose home was targeted in the robbery, alleges: “The thieves paid money at the primary court. We have petitioned the Taliban’s security command and the Taliban’s Council of Ministers to have them re-arrested, but the Baghlan court is not cooperating, and the case is not being handled seriously.”
In a petition submitted to the Taliban’s “Directorate for the Enforcement of Decrees and Orders” in Baghlan province, the man states that ten armed thieves, equipped with Kalashnikovs, pistols, and knives, entered his home in the village of Payin Sarak, near the Six Sugar Factories area of Baghlan-e Markazi, at around 1:00 a.m. on November 5, 2025, and took all of his possessions.
The petition states that the thieves stole two pairs of gold earrings, two gold rings, two smartphones, 8,000 afghanis in cash, six sacks of wheat, a barrel of cooking oil, and several other household items.
The petition further claims that two of the suspects, identified as Samiullah and Bahruddin, were identified and arrested by the Taliban’s security command in Baghlan-e Markazi through their SIM cards, but were later released on written guarantees. According to the petition, one of the suspects contacted the complainant’s family by phone two days after his release and threatened them.
In separate correspondence, the General Directorate of Administrative Affairs of the Taliban’s Council of Ministers has requested the Taliban’s Supreme Court to review the case. These letters also note that the complainant alleges the Baghlan court has not addressed his case and that the suspects continue to move about freely.
Documents obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily further show that Taliban intelligence agencies have confirmed the suspects were released through mediation and payment of money. According to these documents, the individuals obtained forged identity papers and transferred their registered SIM cards into the names of others. After reviewing the evidence, Taliban intelligence units forwarded the documentation to the Taliban’s court and called for the case to be properly adjudicated.
The documents also indicate that some Taliban intelligence officials claim the suspects were released during the judicial process in exchange for payment. According to them, these individuals were involved in armed robberies during the Republic era and are considered well-known thieves in Baghlan province.
Taliban criminal and intelligence agencies have requested Taliban leadership to re-arrest and detain the suspects. According to available documents, these agencies have confirmed that the suspects entered the complainant’s home and stole his belongings. Despite this, the Baghlan resident says the suspects are members of a larger criminal network and that, despite repeated follow-ups, no Taliban institution has been willing to cooperate in re-arresting them.
Over the past five years, the Hasht-e Subh Daily has published numerous reports in which citizens of Afghanistan confirmed that armed thieves posing as Taliban intelligence forces entered their homes under the pretext of conducting inspections, and looted their property and belongings.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
دزدی زیر نام تلاشی در بغلان؛ دزدان پس از بازداشت با جعل اسناد آزاد شدهاند
