Residents of Paktika province have reported that the Taliban’s ombudsmen from the Ministry of the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have arrested nearly 30 young individuals after inspecting their phones.
Local people said that these individuals were detained on charges of having images of the national flag of Afghanistan and pictures of former presidents on their phones.
So far, the Taliban's Ministry of the Propagation of Virtue has not provided an explanation in this regard.
Residents of Bak Khel district said that Taliban ombudsmen are inspecting people's phones in various parts of the province. If they find images or content contrary to the group's preferences, they arrest the people.
The residents said that on Friday, the Taliban arrested eight individuals from the district for having images of the national flag of Afghanistan on their mobile phones. According to sources, these youths also had images of former presidents Ashraf Ghani, Hamid Karzai, and Daoud Khan on their phones.
Meanwhile, some local elders in Bak Khel district said that for several months, Taliban local officials in the province have been inspecting phones and harassing young people.
One local leader described the Taliban's phone inspections as a violation of people's privacy, stating, "The Taliban not only conduct body searches in Bak Khel district, but also in many other areas and the province capital."
