Several citizens have expressed concern over the rising rate of criminal activity in the country. They say that the Taliban have only ensured security for their own members. According to these citizens, despite firsthand observations of criminal incidents, the group has yet to take any concrete steps to prevent such crimes. They also emphasize that members affiliated with the Taliban are involved in a number of these criminal incidents. Meanwhile, several military affairs analysts attribute the growing crime rate in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan primarily to widespread poverty, the lack of employment opportunities, and the absence of a structured hierarchy and chain of command among Taliban fighters.
Shukria (pseudonym) expressed deep concern over the rise in criminal activity in the country, saying: “In recent days, crime has increased at an unprecedented rate. Every day, reports of torture, murder, and theft emerge from all provinces. Women are being tortured in ways so horrific that seeing the images is shocking. The Taliban say they have provided security, but for whom exactly? For Hibatullah Akhundzada, Sirajuddin, and Muttaqi, or for ordinary people? If security has been established, then why do we witness murder, torture, and theft before our very eyes every single day?” She believes that the majority of these crimes are either carried out directly by Taliban members or are connected to them in some way.
Shukria added, “The husband of one of my friends was killed by armed men in the parking area of their apartment building, and his car was stolen. In addition, an elderly woman was murdered in her home in the Arya township, and people only learned of the incident three days later. There may be dozens of similar crimes occurring daily. The Taliban are lying when they claim that security has been established. Some people are killed or tortured by members of this group under various pretexts, and others are killed by different individuals. Out of fear, we have even lost the peace of sleep.”
Yaqoob (pseudonym) reported the killing of a woman in a public place in the city of Kabul and stated that the perpetrator passed through the area without any obstruction and in full view of Taliban forces. He added, “After carrying out the attack, the killer walked past Taliban forces with complete ease. When those forces were told that the individual was the killer, they responded by saying he was armed and that they might be shot if they approached him.”
Roya (pseudonym), whose cousin fell victim to the Taliban’s claims of comprehensive security, recounted his killing as follows: “My cousin called and said he was going to play football with his friends and then head to Bagram. However, his older brother did not allow it. After three days of searching, his family found his body in Salang. He had been shot in the throat. His body had been wrapped in cloth, placed inside a bag, and left beside a Taliban-affiliated container. Members of the group have offered two versions of events: one being that someone else was the intended target, and that he was killed by mistake. The full truth of the matter remains unclear, and no one has been arrested.”
Meanwhile, Abdul Waris Saighani, an analyst on military and security affairs, said: “A more significant factor driving the increase in crime is the presence within Taliban security forces of individuals who were wanted by the previous government and are now operating within the group’s security structures. This situation has resulted in people with no clear record or commitment to ensuring public safety and protecting the lives and property of citizens being employed within security institutions.”
Saighani emphasized that the absence of a structured organization and defined hierarchy within Taliban security institutions also plays a role in the increase in crime and security disorders. He added: “The Taliban’s claim of having established comprehensive security across Afghanistan is one of the slogans used to conceal existing realities. In many instances, the Taliban lack transparency in their conduct, and the surge in crime over recent months has raised serious questions about this claim.”
These remarks come as the Taliban have, for more than four and a half years, consistently claimed that comprehensive security has been established across Afghanistan.
Some time ago, sources speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily reported that criminal activity had increased in Ghazni province, with numerous armed robberies also recorded in recent weeks.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
افزایش جرایم جنایی؛ شهروندان: طالبان در اکثر قضایا دست دارند
