Amid the Taliban’s emphasis on nationwide security, conflicts have escalated within the country. According to figures released by the warring parties in recent days, dozens have been killed in clashes between members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) with Taliban militants. This comes as, in addition to killing some members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) in Badakhshan Province, the Taliban have reportedly tied up a number of them and subjected them to mass shooting after captivity. It is noteworthy that alongside these clashes, the number of targeted killings by the Taliban has also been on the rise in recent weeks. According to statistics, scores of former military personnel, ethnic leaders, and other civilians have been assassinated by the Taliban or unidentified individuals. Among the casualties are also individuals who were invited to the country by this group or had received a “general amnesty ID card” from them.
Recently published statistics indicate an escalation of clashes between the Taliban and opposing military factions. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) has recently released a statement claiming that in the aftermath of 12 days of battles between their forces and the Taliban in Badakhshan Province, 18 Taliban militants have been killed and an additional 27 have been wounded. Furthermore, according to multiple statements from the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), in less than a month, over 20 Taliban militants have been killed and dozens more wounded.
Meanwhile, sources reported to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Taliban tied up three members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) and subjected them to a mass shooting in the Shuhada district of Badakhshan Province last week. According to sources, the Taliban captured commanders of this front, Tahir, Shokrullah Ahmadi, and Naeem, in this district and subjected them to a mass shooting after their captivity. Images released of their bodies indicate that the Taliban filmed their corpses. Sources state that the Taliban did not allow the families of these deceased individuals to hold funeral prayers and burial ceremonies.
Furthermore, three other members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) have been killed by the Taliban in different ways in Badakhshan Province. According to an informed source, a Taliban member who had infiltrated the members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) went with one of the members of this faction to buy bread, and on the way, he killed him. Additionally, yesterday, one of the commanders of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) named Wahidullah surrendered to the Taliban in the Shuhada district, and four others surrendered to the Taliban in the Baharak district of Badakhshan Province.
Sources indicate that currently around 800 Taliban militants have been relocated to the Shuhada district and the Shiwa area to suppress members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF). Before the clashes in Badakhshan Province, the leadership of the Taliban in this province held a meeting with Fasihuddin, the chief of staff of their military, and Mawlawi Amanuddin, one of their prominent commanders. In this meeting, they decided that members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) should be killed. According to sources, the order to assassinate members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) in Badakhshan Province has been issued by Mawlawi Abdul Momen Hazem, the head of the Council of Scholars of this group. Hazem used to be the imam of Zardewha Mosque in Baharak district during the previous government. An informed source stated, “Mawlawi Hazem has issued a fatwa to the militants of this group in Badakhshan Province to kill the NRF members, and no one has the right to perform funeral prayers for them.”
Simultaneously with the armed conflicts in recent weeks, non-combatants and former security forces have also faced an increase in assassinations across the country. Over 20 cases of assassination have been reported in the past weeks, mostly targeting former military personnel and officials of the previous government. Taliban militants have even targeted individuals who returned to the country after being invited by the group.
In recent days, the Taliban subjected two young men, who had disarmed two Taliban members during a face-to-face confrontation in Badakhshan Province, to mass shootings. The targeted individuals, named Jawad Hussain and Rohullah, were residents of the Mani Khoro village in the Nasi district of this province. The Taliban executed Jawad Hussain in front of his villagers and then tied his body to a “Ranger” vehicle and displayed it to the public. The group had claimed that these two individuals were members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), but the Front has not made any statements regarding this incident.
Last week, the Taliban continued their systematic targeted killings of former military personnel. Faizullah Tukhanabadi, a former commander of the People’s Uprising Forces, was killed at his home in the Chahab district of Takhar province. Sources indicate that Tukhanabadi had no affiliations with any group after the Taliban’s takeover and was leading a normal life. Sakhiuddin Rahman, also known as Sakha, a local commander of the former government in the Kishindih district of Balkh province, was detained and killed by the Taliban. According to sources, the residents of his district uncovered his body from beneath the ground. Based on information from sources, this former commander had received a “general amnesty ID card” from the Taliban.
Furthermore, Yamaq Khalid, a former commander of the People’s Uprising Forces of the previous government, was killed by the Taliban in Sar-e Pol province. Sources say that he had returned to his home in response to an invitation by the Taliban Commission and a mediation by Nizamuddin Qaisari from Iran. Additionally, Jamil Qodosi, a former military personnel, was assassinated by unidentified armed individuals in the second division of the Kohistan district of Kapisa province. Local sources attribute his killing to the Taliban.
Sources in the province of Balkh also report that Zia, a special force member of the former government’s army, has hanged himself in prison after two years of imprisonment. Sources emphasize that he had been consistently tortured by the Taliban while in prison; however, some sources claim that Mr. Zia has been killed by the Taliban in prison. Additionally, Mullah Ahmad Khel was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his farm in the Baaes Khel village of Koh Safi district. Furthermore, another man named Zikruddin was killed in the Paryan district of Panjshir province. Another individual, during the evening prayer in the Taywara district of Ghor province, killed one person and wounded the mosque’s prayer leader.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Taliban militant shootings, civilians have also lost their lives. Following the shooting by Tameem, the former Taliban intelligence director in the Jabal al-Saraj district of Parwan province, one individual was killed and three others were wounded from the same family. Moreover, Gholam Farooq Safi, the director of Dar al-Hifaz (Madrasa) of Abdul Ahad Rohani was killed in the Khom Rubai village of the second division of Kohistan district in Kapisa province.
During this period, in addition to targeting former military personnel and government officials, the Taliban have also detained and killed their family members and associates. The group detained and subsequently killed Mohammad Yasin, the brother of the former deputy governor of Paktika province, in the Yusufkhel district of the province.
It is worth noting that some human rights organizations have accused the Taliban of “war crimes.” Amnesty International has accused militants of this group of committing war crimes through “merciless attacks and mass punishments” in Panjshir province. The organization, in a well-documented report, has stated that the Taliban have engaged in extrajudicial executions, torture, and arbitrary detentions, violating human rights principles.
