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Tensions flare as Ghor residents confront Taliban forces Protests over house raids and counternarcotics efforts in Pasaband and Shahrak lead to shootings, arrests, and allegations of ethnic discrimination. 21 Nov 2024 Clashes in Pasaband district On 26 October 2024, 8am Media reported that residents of Pasaband district, Ghor province, had clashed with Taliban forces who attempted to destroy drug production facilities. On the same day, the Afghanistan International news outlet alleged that locals of the same district had been protesting Taliban house searches and mistreatment of women, and that Taliban forces had used violence in response. Both sources claim that six civilians were wounded as a result. Footage shared by a local shows a crowd of people gathered in Sinay (Figure 1 below), on the outskirts of Pasaband district, positioned opposite a likely Taliban outpost (white rectangle) where several armed men are positioned, facing an approaching crowd of people. The outpost appears to have a white flag on its rooftop, to the east of the clearing. AW identified at least ten individuals guarding the outpost, and approximately 150-200 individuals, who appear to be locals, gathered to the west of it. One of the armed individuals is positioned on a rooftop by the outpost’s east [marked in red ellipse], and is shown shooting eight rounds at the crowd, possibly in an effort to disperse them and stop them from advancing. The smoke from the gunfire is visible in the footage (marked in grey cloud shapes). Figure 1: Still from footage of the incident, and the area marked on satellite imagery [33.396941, 65.035995]. In a separate video released later in the day by Afghanistan International , a man, reportedly wounded during the Taliban shooting, is shown with a bandaged hand and an attached bag of blood - likely a blood transfusion bag - while being assisted by others, seemingly near the area of the incident in Pasaband district. Background conversation in the video suggests that the injured man is one of the protestors wounded in Sinay. Figure 2: A man reportedly injured from the Taliban shooting during the incident in the Sinay area of Pasaband district, Ghor. [source: X/@sakhiSanjar1987] Pasaband district is located in southernmost Ghor and has a population of 92,000. According to a district profile by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 2003, 85% of the population in Pasaband are Tajik, 11% Pahstun and 5% Hazara. AW verified that the people in the video from Sinay were speaking in Dari, indicating that they could belong to non-Pashtun, Dari-speaking groups (Tajik or Hazara). Clashes in Shahrak district In a similar incident, locals reportedly clashed with the Taliban in Shahrak district, located in northwestern Ghor province. On 1 November 2024, Paigah News reported that residents of Yamgak village of Tangi Azao area in Shahrak district, aggravated by alleged Taliban raids of residential houses, clashed with Taliban forces, and beat and disarmed some Taliban. In a video allegedly recorded by a resident of Tangi Azao, an alleged group of Taliban forces are seen retreating as a crowd of residents attack them with sticks. A male voice, likely a village resident, is heard calling on villagers “not to let a single [Taliban] leave the village”. He shouts at the group of apparently retreating Taliban, saying, “Do not dare to enter our houses again”. In another video recorded from a distance further away, gunshots and sirens from at least two military vehicles can be heard, as people including children disperse in different directions. AW verified the presence of one dark green Ford Ranger pickup car, a vehicle predominantly used by Taliban police, in the area of the incident. Figure 3: (Bottom left and on the right) Stills from footage of the incident in Yamgak village of Tangi Azao area, Shahrak district, matching satellite imagery (top left) [34.12354, 64.23908]. Local sources told Azadi Radio on 2 November 2024 that the Taliban had subsequently arrested 30 residents, including children from Tangi Azao village, after a clash with the villagers. At the time of writing, the Taliban has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident. Conflicting claims about causes While the incidents happened in two separate locations in different parts of the province and took place at least one week apart, both relate to claims that local residents were angered by alleged Taliban raids of residential properties. Multiple locals also claimed that Taliban used violence and mistreated women during the alleged search operations. Afghanistan International reported that the incident in Pasaband district occurred after locals were outraged about the Taliban carrying out individual searches of women. In a video from Pasaband district, also shared by Afghanistan International, people are shown expressing their anger by chanting “Allahu Akbar” [God is great]. Among the voices audible in the crowd, a man is heard saying that they (the local people) were not harassed as badly by even the Soviets or the Americans in the past, as they are now by the Taliban. In Tangi Azao, Porana News reported on 2 November 2024 that residents of the village had clashed with the Taliban forces after they had allegedly beaten a woman during a house search. The report further claimed that a Taliban commander known as Wasiq and his forces had entered homes and used violence against residents. Alleged Taliban counternarcotics efforts 8am Media claimed that the clash in Pasaband district took place on 26 October 2024, when the Taliban destroyed ephedra (a plant used as a precursor in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine) processing facilities in the area. On 27 October 2024, Azadi Radio reported that Abdul Wahid Hammas, Taliban spokesperson for the Governor of Ghor, claimed that Taliban forces had raided drug production facilities and arrested an unspecified number of individuals, when they came under fire from local residents. Hammas argued that the Taliban forces had to defend themselves, and fired at the “rebels” in response. AW could not verify Abdul Wahid Hammas’ claims. While the Taliban have not made further official statements on the clashes in Ghor, the Taliban’s Deputy Ministry for Counternarcotics and several Taliban-affiliated media outlets circulated several reports on the seizure and destruction of a variety of drugs and several narcotics processing factories in Ghor between 26 October and 5 November 2024. This is likely an indirect attempt by the Taliban to reinforce the idea that the clashes were triggered by resistance to counternarcotics efforts. There are past examples of violent resistance to Taliban counternarcotics operations. Locals in several districts of Badakhshan, for example, clashed with the Taliban in May 2024 when Taliban attempted to destroy local poppy fields. Claims of ethnically or personally motivated violence by the Taliban Residents of Tangi Azao further told Paigah News that on 31 October 2024, the day before the alleged clashes, Taliban members had torn up pictures of Ahmad Shah Massoud, a former prominent anti-Taliban commander, and Dr Ibrahim Malikzada, a Tajik local former MP and anti-Soviet commander, during house raids. On 2 November 2024, Mahmoud Saikal , former Afghan Ambassador to the UN, quoting local sources, claimed that the Taliban had entered people’s houses in Shahrak district twice in a single day “with personal motives” but under the pretext of house searches. AW could not verify these allegations, although - as noted above - residents featured in the videos were Dari speaking, indicating they belong to non-Pashtun ethnic groups. Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, there have been numerous clashes between ethnic groups in Ghor province. For example, in October 2023 , Tajik and Pashtun Taliban members reportedly clashed in the provincial capital Firozkoh (also known as Chaghcharan) over arbitrary arrests carried out by the latter. Share

18 Nov 2024

Reports and Analysis Original reporting by the Afghan Witness team 21 Nov 2024 Urban warfare defines anti-Taliban resistance as AFF & NRF claim 294 attacks in 2024 Analysis highlights growing operational reach of NRF and AFF, with Kabul and northern provinces at the epicentre. Read more 21 Nov 2024 Tensions flare as Ghor residents confront Taliban forces Protests over house raids and counternarcotics efforts in Pasaband and Shahrak lead to shootings, arrests, and allegations of ethnic discrimination. Read more 21 Nov 2024 Afghan factions react to Trump victory with mixed expectations Pro-Taliban accounts mock U.S. intervention hopes, while anti-Taliban groups see the election as a chance for renewed resistance. Read more 21 Nov 2024 Public execution in Paktia marks Taliban’s shift in showcasing Sharia enforcement Media allowed to film outside the stadium as Haqqani ministers highlight both unity and an attempt at clemency. Read more 18 Nov 2024 Land clearance in Kabul Officially framed as infrastructure development, the demolition campaign forces vulnerable populations out, erasing informal settlements and impacting minority neighbourhoods. Read more 5 Nov 2024 Taliban minister’s comments sparks outrage over “women’s voice ban” When acting Minister Hanafi discussed elements of the law on virtue and vice, misinterpretations spread globally. Read more 5 Nov 2024 Taliban implements ban on living beings in media Media outlets forced to cease visual content, limiting news coverage to audio and graphics. Read more 5 Nov 2024 Kabul: three attacks in three days highlight precarious security situation NRF and AFF target Taliban in Kabul as unclaimed explosion leaves civilians caught in escalating violence. Read more 29 Oct 2024 Afghan immigrants shot at Iranian border On 13 October 2024, hundreds of Afghan migrants were shot at near the Iran-Pakistan border, reportedly by Iranian border guards. Read more 21 Oct 2024 Pro-Taliban outlet releases alleged AI-generated audio of former Afghan commander arranging mercenary deal Clips alleged to show former commander Sadat arranging mercenaries for Ukraine spark controversy, with allegations of AI manipulation. Read more Load more

Filter by Tags Reports & Analysis Original reporting by the Afgha n Witness team 21 Nov 2024 Urban warfare defines anti-Taliban resistance as AFF & NRF claim 294 attacks in 2024 Analysis highlights growing operational reach of NRF and AFF, with Kabul and northern provinces at the epicentre. Read here 21 Nov 2024 Afghan factions react to Trump victory with mixed expectations Pro-Taliban accounts mock U.S. intervention hopes, while anti-Taliban groups see the election as a chance for renewed resistance. Read here 18 Nov 2024 Land clearance in Kabul Officially framed as infrastructure development, the demolition campaign forces vulnerable populations out, erasing informal settlements and impacting minority neighbourhoods. Read here 5 Nov 2024 Taliban implements ban on living beings in media Media outlets forced to cease visual content, limiting news coverage to audio and graphics. Read here 29 Oct 2024 Afghan immigrants shot at Iranian border On 13 October 2024, hundreds of Afghan migrants were shot at near the Iran-Pakistan border, reportedly by Iranian border guards. Read here 21 Nov 2024 Tensions flare as Ghor residents confront Taliban forces Protests over house raids and counternarcotics efforts in Pasaband and Shahrak lead to shootings, arrests, and allegations of ethnic discrimination. Read here 21 Nov 2024 Public execution in Paktia marks Taliban’s shift in showcasing Sharia enforcement Media allowed to film outside the stadium as Haqqani ministers highlight both unity and an attempt at clemency. Read here 5 Nov 2024 Taliban minister’s comments sparks outrage over “women’s voice ban” When acting Minister Hanafi discussed elements of the law on virtue and vice, misinterpretations spread globally. Read here 5 Nov 2024 Kabul: three attacks in three days highlight precarious security situation NRF and AFF target Taliban in Kabul as unclaimed explosion leaves civilians caught in escalating violence. Read here 21 Oct 2024 Pro-Taliban outlet releases alleged AI-generated audio of former Afghan commander arranging mercenary deal Clips alleged to show former commander Sadat arranging mercenaries for Ukraine spark controversy, with allegations of AI manipulation. Read here View More

21 Nov 2024

21 Nov 2024

Public execution in Paktia marks Taliban’s shift in showcasing Sharia enforcement Media allowed to film outside the stadium as Haqqani ministers highlight both unity and an attempt at clemency. 21 Nov 2024 Feature image: X/TOLO News . On 13 November 2024, the Taliban Supreme Court announced that a public execution had taken place in southern Paktia province. According to the official statement, a man named Mohammad Ayaz had been convicted of murder and executed in the morning on the same day at a sports stadium in Gardez, the provincial capital of Paktia. 8am Media and RTA Radio reported that Ayaz was accused of killing a Taliban fighter named Habibullah in June 2021. The Supreme Court claimed that the victim’s family was consulted and chose not to forgive Ayaz, meaning the punishment was carried out under the principle of Qisas (the Islamic concept of justice through divine retribution). Hurriyat Radio Pashto , a Taliban-affiliated outlet, and Tolo News , an independent Afghan news agency, published video reports showing hundreds of people moving towards the stadium to watch the execution. Photos and videos of people gathering to watch public punishments have circulated on social media before, but this is the first time Taliban officials appear to have allowed media outlets to film the surrounding area of an execution. Despite this seeming relaxation of a Taliban issued order against filming or photographing public punishments, it is notable that media limited themselves to footage from outside the stadium, not showing the actual event. Figure 1 below shows the geolocation of the footage of people walking towards the Gardez stadium on 13 November 2024. Figure 1: Geolocation of the reported public execution at the Gardez stadium, announced by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan on 13 November 2024 [33.652554, 69.224177]. This apparent change in policy is possibly an attempt by the de-facto authorities to showcase public support for the implementation of Sharia law. According to Hurriyat News , the implementation of Qisas was attended by “thousands of common people, scholars, officials and Mujahideen [Taliban members], and the measure was welcomed by the general public”. The Supreme Court also mentioned the presence of senior officials during the execution, including Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, acting Interior Minister, and Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, acting Minister of Refugees. On 13 November 2022, Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced that the judges of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were required to implement Qisas when Sharia conditions were met. Last week’s execution in Paktia marked the fifth time Qisas has officially been enforced in the country since the Taliban takeover. The previous four executions took place in the provinces of Farah , Laghman , Ghazni , and Jawzjan , all of men convicted of murder. A reported intervention by Sirjauddin Haqqani On 16 November 2024, Hurriyat Radio Pashto released a second video report on the execution. The nine-minute footage showed Ayaz’s funeral and burial ceremony, and contained interviews with his family members, Taliban officials and locals. One of Ayaz’s relatives confirmed that Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban acting Minister of the Interior, offered the family AFN 20,000,000 (approximately GBP 232,400) to pardon the alleged murderer, which was refused. Ayaz’s father, who was also interviewed, praised Haqqani for his efforts in trying to prevent the execution, confirming the Supreme Court’s initial statement that there had been an attempt to spare Ayaz’s life. Meanwhile, an Afghan account on X (formerly Twitter) - apparently a supporter of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a fundamentalist group with increasingly tense relations with the Taliban - claimed that Western powers aim to divide the Taliban into "moderates" and "hardliners". The account referenced The New York Times article published on 24 October 2024 that portrayed Haqqani as a moderate figure, and a potential “hope” for improved relations with the West. The account, however, argued that the Haqqanis presence at the execution shows that the Taliban are united in their commitment to their rigid implementation of Sharia law. Remarks Overall, the Taliban are apparently trying to push two major narratives through coverage of the event. Firstly, it emphasises alleged public support for Sharia punishments by showing a high attendance of locals at the execution. Second, it appears aimed at elevating Haqqani’s image, portraying him as a moderate who showed sympathy to Ayaz by urging the victim's family to pardon him. Furthermore, this is the only public execution so far attended exclusively by ministers from the Haqqani faction of the Taliban (Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani and Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani). Although this could partially be explained by the fact that both ministers are Paktia natives, it is notable that previous similar events have been attended by a mix of high-ranking Taliban officials from both the Kandahari and Haqqani factions. A possible reason is that the recent article in The New York Times triggered a reaction among the de facto authorities, and that the attendance of two ministers from the so-called “moderate” Haqqani faction was an attempt to project unity and dispel rumours of internal tensions. Share

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21 Nov 2024