Local sources: Mawlawi Abdul Qadir Hamed’s men are extorting people from Takhar.
Local sources in Takhar province say that Mawlawi Abdul Qadir Hamed, an Uzbek Taliban commander and the current district governor of Tashkurghan in Samangan province, is using his influence to extort money from the Zarshis, businessmen, and merchants of Takhar in an organized manner.
According to these sources, people under his command collect money from people by threats and force, and no institution has reacted to this behavior.
Takhar residents emphasize that this extortion is carried out openly and the victims refrain from complaining for fear of retaliation.
Mawlawi Abdul Qadir Hamed is considered one of the most influential Taliban figures in the north of the country, and during the previous regime, he was known as “the butcher” among the locals due to his participation in the killing of hundreds of security forces.
A large number of Takhar citizens have warned that they will launch civil protests if this bullying and abuse of power continues.
They have called on the central Taliban authorities to stop this commander and prevent such incidents from happening again, otherwise the security situation and people’s trust in the local administration will be further weakened.
