Several former military personnel who fled to neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, due to security threats from the Taliban, say they fear being deported back to Afghanistan under the group’s rule. They report facing serious economic, security, and social hardships, with their children also being denied access to education. According to them, the Taliban kill, arrest, and torture former military members upon their return. Meanwhile, the head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission under the previous government warns that despite the Taliban’s declaration of a general amnesty, hundreds of cases of abuse, unlawful detention, and killing of former military personnel have been documented since the group’s return to power. She stresses that deporting former military personnel to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan violates the principles of refugee rights and international law, as it exposes them to danger,s including killing, torture, and detention.
Abdul Fattah (pseudonym), a former military member who fled to Pakistan due to security threats, says former military personnel living in Pakistan face serious economic, security, and social difficulties, with their children also denied access to education.
The former soldier adds, “The situation of former military personnel in Pakistan is extremely difficult. We have no access to work, and only a small number are working secretly to meet their basic needs. The children of former military personnel in Pakistan are also denied the right to education, and many families are struggling with visa renewals from the Pakistani government. Several former military personnel have been killed in targeted attacks even inside Pakistan. Those who are sent back to Afghanistan face grave threats, and their lives are in danger.”
Isa Laghmani, another former military member who migrated to Iran due to security threats following the Taliban’s return to power, says he cannot sleep at night and lives in fear of arrest and deportation to Afghanistan. He says, “I swear to God, I cannot sleep day or night. Sleep has become forbidden for me. I am not afraid of hard labor or working as a day laborer, but I fear that I have no residency documents. If they arrest me and send me back to Afghanistan, the Taliban will show me no mercy.”
Laghmani emphasizes that he served his country faithfully during the republic. Criticizing some former officials, he says: “Several former officials who betrayed the country handed it over to the Taliban and left for Western and European countries. They accumulated wealth over these 20 years, while the children of the poor sacrificed their lives for the country, and today no one even asks about them.”
Addressing former government officials, the former soldier says, “You sold the homeland and abandoned the soldiers on the battlefield. We gave martyrs for the homeland, we shed blood, and we made countless sacrifices. Even dry bread was barely available to us, yet we fought on the front lines and secured your safety while you lived in comfort. But in the end, you abandoned us halfway.”
Meanwhile, Shaharzad Akbar, head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) under the previous government, warns that despite the Taliban’s declaration of a general amnesty, hundreds of cases of abuse, unlawful detention, and killing of former military personnel have been documented since the group’s return to power. Stressing that deporting former military personnel constitutes a violation of refugee rights principles and international law, she says: “Our documentation shows that former military personnel face serious dangers after being returned to Afghanistan. Despite the Taliban having declared a general amnesty, we have recorded hundreds of cases of abuse, unlawful detention, and killing of former military personnel since the group retook power. In many cases, their families have also faced threats and danger. Returning these individuals violates the principles of refugee rights and international law, as it exposes them to dangers, including killing, torture, and detention. Neighboring countries, as well as the allies of the previous government, have a responsibility to protect the lives of former military personnel and to ensure their safe transfer along with their families.”
At the same time, Asif Siddiqui, former deputy speaker of the Senate of the National Assembly, describes the situation of former military personnel as deeply alarming, saying that large numbers of them have been killed and many others are being tortured in Taliban prisons. He adds: “The situation of former military personnel following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan is extremely alarming. The security threats are directed not only at the individuals themselves, but also at their families. A large number of former military personnel have been killed, and many others are being held and tortured in Taliban prisons. Former military members who have migrated to other countries also face numerous difficulties, including harsh economic conditions, visa renewal problems, and a lack of legal documentation. If these individuals are returned to Afghanistan, they will face serious threats to their lives, with a real risk of being killed or detained.”
Mr. Siddiqui warns that the Taliban have designated special units to target former officials and former military personnel. He says: “In some cases, former military personnel are killed, and these incidents are framed as personal disputes. The Taliban have even established dedicated units for targeting former officials and former military personnel. In addition, the children of these families, whether in Afghanistan or in neighboring countries, are denied the right to education and face discrimination.”
This comes as the United Nations Assistance Mission’s quarterly report, published some time ago, documented at least 14 killings and 21 cases of arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, and mistreatment of former members of Afghanistan’s security and defense forces.
Since retaking Afghanistan, the Taliban have consistently arrested and imprisoned former military personnel, and in some cases have killed them.
According to findings by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the Taliban killed approximately 110 former military personnel between 2023 and mid-2025.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
هراس از بازگشت اجباری؛ نظامیان پیشین افغانستان در سایه تهدید و بیسرنوشتی
