Malik Tatar Exposes Exploitation of Former Afghan Soldiers in Iran.
Some former Afghan military personnel residing in Iran report being subjected to organized extortion under the pretext of residence and visa extensions.
Malik Tatar, a former commander of the Popular Uprising Forces, said in an audio recording that certain individuals collect money from former soldiers by promising to resolve residency issues and extend visas, but these promises are never fulfilled. According to him, the perpetrators disappear after receiving the money.
Malik Tatar stated that these individuals introduce themselves as affiliates or representatives of political figures such as Abdul Rashid Dostum or Atta Mohammad Noor, or as former government officials, in order to gain the trust of former soldiers.
Strongly criticizing these actions, he described the perpetrators as “traitors,” emphasizing that they show no concern for the dire situation of soldiers who fought against the Taliban and have abandoned this vulnerable group.
Meanwhile, local sources in Iran say they have spoken with several former Afghan soldiers who confirmed these allegations.
According to them, some individuals falsely present themselves as representatives of former military personnel, obtain privileges from the host country, and simultaneously exploit the unstable residency conditions to extort money from former soldiers raising serious concerns about the absence of transparent support mechanisms for this group.
