Local sources in Paktika province report that a former district governor under the previous Afghan government attempted suicide after being tortured by the Taliban.
Sourced said on Thursday, August 8th, that the former governor, Nader Khan Suleimankhel, threw himself into a well and is now hospitalized.
According to the report, the Taliban arrested Suleimankhel, accusing him of possessing weapons. They tortured him during interrogation, demanding that he reveal the location of his weapons.
Sources revealed that during the interrogation, the Taliban demanded weapons from Suleimankhel. After severe torture, Suleimankhel told them that his weapons were hidden in a 40-meter-deep well at his home.
However, his relatives stated that Suleimankhel did not have any weapons at his residence.
Following his statement about hiding weapons, Taliban members escorted Suleimankhel and a local elder to his home. Upon entering the courtyard of his house, Suleimankhel kissed his children and asked the people around him to take care of them. He then threw himself into the well in an attempt to commit suicide.
Relatives reported that Suleimankhel sustained serious injuries, including broken arms, legs, and back, and is currently being treated at a hospital in Gardez.
His relatives said that after his suicide attempt, Suleimankhel confessed to the Taliban that they did not believe his oaths about not having weapons and forced him to lead them to the supposed hiding place through torture.
Suleimankhel reportedly stated, “After severe torture, I realized that they [the Taliban] do not believe in my oaths or the Quran and only trust forced confessions. So, I intended to commit suicide by leading them to the well in my home, where I planned to throw myself.”
During the Taliban’s rule, the group has arrested Suleimankhel several times, releasing him only after guarantees from local elders.
After the Taliban’s takeover, Suleimankhel settled in a village in Khairkot district, where he opened a small shop next to his house.
According to several human rights organizations, in the past three years, over 87 people have died due to torture in Taliban intelligence prisons.
Human rights organizations, including the United Nations, have noted that despite the Taliban’s declaration of a “general amnesty,” the group continues to carry out arbitrary arrests, torture, and killings of former military personnel and government employees.
Meanwhile, Suleimankhel’s tragic case underscores the ongoing persecution and human rights violations under Taliban rule, despite their claims of amnesty. The plight of former government officials and security personnel remains a pressing concern as they continue to face extreme violence and injustice.
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