Taliban Leader Confirms Killing Of Prisoners In Group’s Prisons

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada said that he had received a report about the killing of prisoners in the group's prisons.

The Taliban's prime minister office on Tuesday released an audio file of Hibatullah's speech during a visit to Kunduz province.

According to the audio file, Mullah Hibatullah said that he had been told that prisoners had been killed in one of the prisons.

After learning about this, he called the prison official and asked whether the killings were carried out with or without a court order. The prison official replied that he was not aware of these events and that his colleagues killed the prisoners, as per the audio recording.

The Taliban leader said that the negligence of the prison official was unjustifiable, and he was permanently expelled from the ranks of the Taliban and retired. Akhundzada said that they will lose their system due to the negligence of Taliban officials.

Earlier, sources confirmed to Afghanistan International that over the past three years, 87 people have died as a result of torture in the Taliban's intelligence prisons. The sources said that the individuals were killed by methods such as electric shocks, suffocation, drowning and torture of sexual organs.

Most of these prisoners were former military personnel, members of the National Resistance Front, and anti-Taliban activists.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also published a report on the conditions of Taliban prisons last year. In a report on September 20 last year, UNAMA reported on widespread human rights violations in Taliban prisons, stressing that nearly 50% of these violations include torture and other treatment or "cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment”.

On September 10, the Taliban announced that Hibatullah Akhundzada had travelled to several northern provinces, including Kunduz.

In another part of his speech, Mullah Hibatullah addressed the difficulty in taking responsibility for the Taliban forces and said that their success is in danger.

He warned his forces that "many heroes have failed in this field”. He prayed that God would not fail or embarrass them.

The Taliban leader also referred to the mujahideen's war against the former Soviet Union, saying that the mujahideen had made many sacrifices, but the leaders had been sold.

Mullah Hibatullah also expressed concern over the increase in the number of Taliban members not praying. He said that he has received reports that lack of observing prayer among the Taliban and the public has increased.

He emphasised that the duty of the Islamic system is to educate people to pray. He also emphasised on the preservation and care of mosques.

Referring to the protests over the Law of Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the Taliban leader said that the Taliban will not fail to implement this law and will not give concessions to anyone.

He stressed that "the promotion of virtue is the main duty of the Islamic system," accusing the West of "promoting democracy and corruption and prostitution in Afghanistan for 20 years”.

The debate over the hijab and the implementation of religious rulings has become a sensitive issue, he said, adding that today, people, especially young people, are attracted to issues such as obscenity and watching television.

When a young Muslim woman's hijab is discussed, it is quickly criticised on social media, he said.

Mullah Hibatullah stressed that the Taliban is determined to fight vice and reform laws, and that "Sharia must be realised by any means, whether by force or forgiveness”.