Local sources in Nuristan said on Monday, July 6, that Taliban security forces had arrested Mohammad Shoaib Eslamyar, the group’s former intelligence chief for Wama district, on allegations of abducting a 13-year-old girl. According to the sources, he was arrested while transporting the girl from the village of Chatras in Chapa Dara district of Kunar province.
The sources said Eslamyar was transferred from Kunar to Parun, the capital of Nuristan province, following his arrest and is currently being held at a detention facility run by the Taliban police command. They also claimed that Taliban authorities are attempting to resolve the case through a local jirga in an effort to prevent it from attracting media attention.
A resident of Nuristan, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Taliban officials are seeking to handle the case internally and prevent further public disclosure of its details.
According to the sources, Mohammad Shoaib Eslamyar served as the Taliban’s intelligence chief for Wama district in Nuristan for approximately three years.
Meanwhile, critics of the Taliban have repeatedly accused the group of attempting, since returning to power, to deal with allegations against its own members through internal processes and to prevent certain cases from becoming public. These allegations, however, have not been independently verified in full.
The Taliban have not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident or the arrest of their former intelligence chief. The whereabouts and condition of the 13-year-old girl also remain unclear, and it is not known whether she has been returned to her family or remains in Taliban custody.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
