By: Eshaq Juya
Translated by: M. Rezaie
Some of the Bamyan public offices were looted when the Taliban captured it. Armed men who were assumed as Taliban members, not only seized government vehicles but also seized vehicles of the ordinary people. Most of the public office equipment was looted too. At the beginning of the Taliban capture of Bamyan, Mawlawi Anas was appointed as the Bamyan governor and Mawlawi Mahdi was appointed as chief of Bamyan intelligence department. Mawlawi Mahdi as a Hazara tried to prevent the Taliban who were from Talawabarfak district of Baghlan and SaighanwaKahmard of Bamyan to loot the people. As a result, Bamyani citizens supported Mawlawi Mahdi and he was finally fired by the Taliban and Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi replaced Mawlawi Anas as the new Bamyan governor.
In early February ,2022 Qari Balal was appointed as the Bamyan intelligence chief. He has been commander of a suicide brigade of Taliban in the past and holds the same position yet.
After Qari balal the situation deteriorated in Bamyan and 1500 Taliban forces were deployed to the province and were relocated to the former office of the Independent Human Rights Commission of Bamyan. Then, detentions of former military personnel and even civilians started in Bamyan.
Bamyan women who had interrupted the Taliban meeting in April 5, 2022, were detained by Taliban intelligence. Taliban had invited some Bamyani women and girls to participate in a workshop and support the calls for reopening the girls’ schools in April 1 in Bamyan Gymnasium. The meeting was interrupted when the participants saw banners of supporting Taliban on the walls. Then two former members of the national security and provincial manager of Nation Party led by Dr. Jafar Mahdawi were detained by the Taliban. Detentions continued and as a result, a former military officer and the son of his cousin from Yakawlang district of Bamyan were detained, and Sattar Ahmadi from Bamyan and former secretary of Mawlawi Mahdi was detained too. Sattar Ahmadi is the son of Mukhtar Ahamdi the Taliban district governor of Yakawlang District. Mukhtar Ahmadi was detained after passing some days and it is not clear where he is now. The Taliban have not responded to this yet. Asghar Yousufi the manager of Ghulgula hotel owned by Haji Nabi brother of Karim Khalili the former Deputy Vice President of Afghanistan was detained and after some days based he was released based on a guarantee. Taliban have denied parts of such detains. However, Taliban intelligence is searching for former military officials in Bamyan. Tens of former military officials fled the country when the Taliban started detaining them.
With a glance at the list of detainees, one can conclude such detentions have ethnic motives and detention just increased when Qari Balal was appointed as the Bamyan intelligence chief. Now Bamyan is not safe and it is likely in addition to former military and civilian officers, the ordinary people may be detained by the Taliban.
Bamyan is one of the provinces which was very secure in the past and it witnessed rare security incidents. As a result, it was a secure destination for local and foreign tourists. Most of the residents of Bamyan are Hazaras. Poverty, unemployment and detention of ordinary people have worried Bamyan citizens. Now there is totally a military environment in Bamyan which has changed the peaceful and civil environment of the city. Continuation of detentions and Rogue behavior of Taliban intelligence is further limiting the lives of Bamyan citizens.
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