Former Taliban Police Chief: We Killed Journalists, But Many Fled
Tawazon – Controversial remarks by Mohammad Omar Mokhles, former Taliban police chief in Paktia province, have sparked fresh concerns over press freedom and the safety of journalists in Afghanistan.
Speaking during a handover ceremony on September 7, Mokhles openly admitted that the Taliban had targeted journalists, though he added that many managed to flee abroad. “They were not media people, they were traitors,” he said. “We used to target journalists, but most of them escaped and reached their masters.”
Sources claim that Mokhles is closely linked to the Haqqani network. Before his reassignment, he was reportedly a point of tension between Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Following several disputes, Mokhles was transferredto Kabul, where he has been appointed commander of the city’s 3rd security district.
According to insiders, Mokhles repeatedly refused to follow certain directives from Akhundzada, prompting efforts to remove him. Haqqani is said to have made several secret trips to Paktia in an attempt to mediate, which eventually resulted in Mokhles’s relocation to Kabul.
Tawazon sought comment from Taliban officials regarding Mokhles’s statements, but spokespersons did not respond.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, despite their announcement of a “general amnesty,” numerous former government employees and journalists have been detained, tortured, or killed. The Taliban have consistently denied accusations of systematic killings, insisting that the amnesty remains in effect.
