Taliban Detains Social Media Influencer, Former Security Force Member: Report

The Taliban detained a social media influencer and former member of security forces in the previous government in Kabul, Afghanistan’s local media reported.

The victim has been identified as Abdul Rahim and he is originally from Dere Abdullah Khel area of ​​Panjshir province. He was taken into custody on Thursday.

Meanwhile, according to local sources, Taliban members also detained Imran Ahmadzai, a social media influencer, from his home in Kabul.

Ahmadzai was reportedly detained on February 12 for allegedly spreading anti-Taliban propaganda, citing local sources.

According to Reporterly, Ahmadzai has 23,327 followers on Facebook and his last video was on February 8 of people running on Kabul street with the caption ‘Go to Turkey’.

On 8 February, hundreds of Afghan civilians arrived at Kabul airport after rumors that the Taliban were sending Afghans to Turkey. Taliban members violently interacted with the people and dispersed them with aerial gunfire.

Meanwhile, on 16 February, Abdul Haq Hemad, director of media oversight at the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, confirmed that the Taliban had arrested people suspected of spreading rumors about the transfer of Afghans to Turkey.

While Hemad did not provide details about those arrested, it appears Ahmadzai may have been among those arrested by the Taliban for spreading rumors about Turkiye, Reporterly reports.

The Taliban continues to arrest Afghan citizens who have been active on social media, and who have worked for the previous Afghan government. These arrests, particularly from the security forces, focused mainly on the Tajik and Hazara ethnic groups.

Following the collapse of the republican order on August 15, 2021, hundreds of former soldiers who have been unable to leave the country have been arrested, tortured and even killed by the Taliban.

Several audio tapes and lists of ex-servicemen, most of whom are abroad, are circulating on social media that talk about Taliban efforts to arrest former ANDSF members, Reporterly reported.