Taliban Arrest Herat Environment Department Employee After Critical Newspaper Report

HERAT, Afghanistan (Afghan Verified) - Taliban authorities arrested Engineer Rahimi, a waste collection expert at the Herat Environment Protection Department, on Monday around 2 p.m., local sources reported.

The arrest was personally carried out by Abdul Ali Motaghi, head of the department, who accused Rahimi of sharing internal department information with the media.

The detention came shortly after the 8am newspaper published a report accusing Motaghi of disgraceful behavior, embezzlement and forcing employee resignations to install loyalists.

Local sources alleged that Motaghi collected approximately 100,000 Afghanis from companies in the Herat Industrial Park, with the spending remaining unclear.

They further claimed that Motaghi has intensified pressure on department employees, leading to a tense atmosphere marked by arbitrary decisions in Taliban-controlled administrations.

The incident highlights ongoing complaints about administrative practices within such departments, though no official statements from the Taliban or the department were available.