Angar Momand, the father of Elias Momand, says that three years after his son’s abduction and murder, justice has yet to be served and those responsible remain at large. He told Afghanistan International that Taliban authorities in Nangarhar Province have asked him to submit a new petition if he wishes to reopen the case.
Elias Momand, who was just six years old, was abducted in Jalalabad in the month of Jadi 1402 (late December 2023–January 2024) and was later murdered by his kidnappers. The incident received widespread attention across Afghanistan at the time and sparked strong public reactions.
Following the crime, the deputy commander of the Taliban police in Nangarhar announced that the principal suspect had been killed during a security operation. However, Elias’s father now says that of the 12 individuals allegedly involved in his son’s abduction and murder, only four were arrested.
According to Angar Momand, those four suspects were later released under a ruling by the Taliban’s Primary Military Court in Nangarhar. He says that despite the passage of three years, the case remains unresolved and the individuals he alleges were involved in the crime continue to live freely.
Momand also said that during a meeting last week, the head of the Nangarhar Court of Appeal asked him to file a new petition to resume legal proceedings and seek justice for his son.
According to him, Taliban officials assured him that once the new petition is submitted, the case will be reviewed again and a decision will be made in accordance with the law, despite the three-year lapse since the incident.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the handling of the case, Angar Momand called on the Taliban authorities to identify, prosecute, and bring to justice those responsible for the abduction and murder of his son.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
