Taliban Erects Protective Walls Around Kandahar's Eidgah Mosque Amid ISIS Threats

The source highlighted that the arrests stemmed from flawed intelligence, targeting refugees fleeing Taliban persecution in Iran.

Iranian media, referencing Saeed Montazer-ul Mahdi, a police commander, initially described the arrest of these individuals as a crucial capture of an "ISIS terrorist unit." According to a report by the Iranian news agency IRNA, the operation was conducted based on "extensive intelligence efforts by the Alborz Province Police Intelligence, bolstered by the vigilant identification by a responsible citizen."

However, insiders affiliated with the NRF have clarified that the detainees are relatives of Khair Mohammad Andarabi, a notable member of the Afghan National Resistance Front.

These sources categorically refute any links between the arrested individuals and ISIS, pointing to an erroneous operation by the Iranian police. Reports indicate that at least two of the Afghan citizens were injured during the police intervention on their vehicle. The current health status of these individuals is yet to be determined.

Saleh disclosed that these individuals had all previously been stationed in Pakistan, with the majority receiving training there.

In a detailed statement on the social media platform X, Saleh unveiled that the leadership of the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) had deep ties to Pakistan, where they were predominantly trained. He highlighted that among those identified by the Green Trend's intelligence efforts were key figures responsible for orchestrating terrorist attacks in major Afghan cities over the last two decades, with significant support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Saleh criticised the GDI for its attempts to obscure its operations and personnel through aliases and covert tactics, pointing out its vulnerabilities to corruption, foreign infiltration, and nepotism. He emphasised the ISI's substantial influence on the Taliban's intelligence operations.

One notable individual, Tajmir Jawad, was singled out by Saleh for running a bomb-making facility in Kohat, Pakistan, for 20 years before being appointed as the deputy operations director of the Taliban intelligence. Jawad, according to Saleh, operates an independent section within the GDI.

Furthermore, Saleh warned of the Islamic State Khorasan Province's (ISKP) infiltration into the Taliban’s GDI, exploiting corrupt elements to facilitate the movement of personnel and materials for terrorist operations both within and outside Afghanistan.

Saleh also accused the Taliban of suppressing media coverage to hide the surge in criminal activities in major cities, alleging that the majority of kidnappings are perpetrated by the group, especially its intelligence wing.

The centre denounced the journalist's detention as a violation of Afghan media laws and said that his freedom should never have been deprived.

Taliban intelligence forces raided the radio station's office on September 27, 2023, confiscating equipment and detaining Jawadi, along with Saifullah Rezaei and Mojtaba Qasemi, two journalists from the outlet.

While the Taliban released the two journalists the same day, Jawadi received a one-year prison sentence.

According to reports, the Taliban accused the former editor-in-chief of Radio Nasim of engaging in "propaganda against the group" and "espionage for foreign countries”.

Although Jawadi was released after spending 134 days in Taliban custody, Radio Nasim's broadcasts resumed after a five-month suspension.

One of the conditions for the resumption of the local radio's broadcasts was a commitment to comply with Taliban media laws.

Hatif had previously criticised the Taliban's treatment of the media in a television interview.

He has been actively defending journalists' rights within Afghanistan for the past two and a half years.

According to the sources, Taliban intelligence, responsible for overseeing and controlling media activities, was involved in the detention of this journalist rights advocate on Wednesday.

Sources stated that Hatif was subjected to "humiliating" treatment during his detention.

Hatif is currently a board member of Afghanistan’s Journalists Organisations and Media Federation. According to sources, this federation has faced pressure from the Taliban in the past two months for hosting programmes in support of female journalists.

According to Iranian security officials quoted by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Saturday, one of the detainees was a senior member of ISIS.

The report stated that Mohammad Zakir, also known as "Ramesh," who is a senior member and head of ISIS operations, was apprehended in Mahdasht city, Karaj.

Iranian police stated, "Through extensive intelligence efforts and with the cooperation of citizens who promptly contacted the police emergency number, a senior ISIS member, Mohammad Zakir, known as 'Ramesh,' along with two others from the group's terrorist units, were arrested.

The detained individuals were reportedly arrested in two separate operations by the police’s intelligence unit and were captured after their vehicle was targeted with gunfire, resulting in three injuries.

According to Iranian authorities, eight accomplices of these "terrorists" have also been arrested.