Former Official Who Returned to Afghanistan at Taliban's Invitation Forced to Flee Again

Ghalib Mujahid, the former district governor of Bihsud in Nangarhar province, said that he returned to Afghanistan at the invitation of the Taliban's Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, but after being harassed by the group, he was forced to migrate again.

He told Afghanistan International that after returning to Kabul, he survived four assassination attempts.

In a video message to the Pashto section of Afghanistan International, Mujahid said that he returned to Kabul at the invitation of the Taliban commission. Despite resolving hostilities and disputes with Saifuddin, a Taliban commander in Jalalabad, he did not have a peaceful life.

Mujahid, stating that the Taliban harassed his family on various pretexts, said, "Four days ago, they raided my son Qari Shafi's house after falsely accusing him of storing drugs, while my son is a mullah and recently took on the title."

He added, "During the raid on my son's house in Kabul, they fired at my grandchildren and accused them of storing weapons and drugs."

This former official said, "The Taliban should abandon their vindictive behaviour, conspiracies, and bullying, and adhere to the general amnesty." He mentioned that Taliban leaders have announced a general amnesty, but the group's commanders do not believe in it.

The Taliban established the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities and continuously urge former officials to return to the country. However, some officials have been arrested and tortured upon their return.

In the previous government, Mujahid served in the Bihsud, Bati Kot, and Achin districts of Nangarhar. In the early years of the previous government, he was arrested by the US forces on charges of being a member of the al-Qaeda network and transferred to Guantanamo.