Several citizens across the country are complaining about worsening insecurity. They say that although security was never good, conditions have deteriorated further in recent times. People, they add, have grown weary of Taliban oppression, poverty, and ongoing crime. By restricting the media, these citizens argue, the Taliban believe no one will find out about the crimes taking place. News of young people being killed emerges almost daily, they say, and theft has also risen sharply.
Shams (pseudonym) describes a widespread breakdown in security. Conditions were already poor, he says, but have worsened noticeably of late, with reports of murder and kidnapping surfacing daily.
“Out of fear, I still take my children to school every morning, even though it makes me late for work,” he says. “Afterward, I take a roundabout route home and pick them up myself, so they aren’t kidnapped.” He adds that theft, too, has increased.
“Neither our property is safe, nor our lives, nor our children,” Shams says. “Yet the Taliban claim security is fully ensured everywhere.”
Kamal (pseudonym) questions those claims. “If you raise your voice, the Taliban arrest you on charges of rebellion,” he says. “But people have reached their breaking point, worn down by Taliban oppression, poverty, and rampant crime.”
“Just scroll through social media, and it’s full of news about killings, rape, and theft,” he says. “It has left me disheartened. Since every Taliban member, whether civilian or military, has access to weapons, they open fire over the smallest disputes. To protect their reputation, they claim the victim was a thief or a smuggler.” He notes that because the country is controlled by fighters who seem to relish violence, such incidents have become routine for them.
“A relative of ours lost their son a few months ago,” Kamal says. “There are countless ways to find the killer, yet no arrest has been made, and the perpetrator hasn’t even been identified. How do they dare commit murder or theft in broad daylight? For five years now, the Taliban have claimed in their media appearances and public gatherings that security is ensured. Where is that security? We live in constant fear for our lives, our property, and our children. Security may be ensured, but only for themselves, not for ordinary people.”
Nawida (pseudonym) says insecurity has intensified recently, leaving people increasingly anxious about being harmed. “The more such incidents occur, the more people worry about their lives and property, and the more they think about how to keep themselves and their belongings safe,” she says.
“An incident I witnessed last year took place in the Kote Sangi market, a crowded area,” she recalls. “Two Taliban members were chasing a man accused of theft. He was armed, and a clash broke out between them. Bystanders could easily have been hurt. Such incidents have become common, but most go unreported, which only deepens public anxiety.”
Nemat (pseudonym) says the Taliban, by restricting the media, believe they can conceal the crimes taking place across the country. News of young people being killed surfaces daily, he says. “I have not personally seen the Taliban apprehend a single perpetrator of these killings. It remains unclear who is responsible, or why,” he says. He adds that suicide rates have also climbed, claiming the lives of young people who represent the country’s future.
“Some are killed by the Taliban on charges of their own making, others by unidentified assailants,” Nemat says. “Some die in traffic accidents, and others are killed while trying to migrate.”
Local sources in the mountainous districts of Kapisa, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, say security in parts of the province has deteriorated over the past year, with burglary and nighttime insecurity both on the rise.
In Herat, residents who spoke to the Hasht-e Subh Daily late last month raised similar concerns, citing rising insecurity and a lack of effective oversight. They reported an increase in targeted killings and abductions in recent months. According to these sources, the security situation in Herat grows more alarming by the day, with some victims disappearing first, only for their bodies to be found later.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
افزایش قتل و اختطاف؛ شهروندان: نه جان ما در امان است و نه مال ما
