Former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh's Brother 'Executed', Family Claims Taliban Want His Body To 'Rot'

Taliban have allegedly executed Rohullah Azizi, who became one of the leaders of anti-Taliban opposition forces in the Panjshir valley

Former Afghanistan President Amrullah Saleh (File Photo)

New Delhi: With former Afghan vice president Amrullah Saleh moving away to an undisclosed location amid the Taliban seizing control over the Panjshir valley, reports suggest Taliban have executed his brother Rohullah Azizi, who became one of the leaders of anti-Taliban opposition forces in the Panjshir valley.

Taliban claimed to have taken control of the provincial centre of Panjshir, the restive mountain region that was the final holdout of resistance forces.

Azizi’s nephew Ebadullah Saleh informed Reuters through a text message. "They executed my uncle. They killed him yesterday and would not let us bury him. They kept saying his body should rot," wrote Ebadullah Saleh.

The update was also shared by the Urdu language account of the Taliban information service Alemarah citing reports that Rohullah Saleh was killed during fighting in Panjshir. The location of Saleh, a former head of the National Directorate of Security, the intelligence service of the Western-backed government that collapsed in August also remains unclear.

The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, which resisted against the Taliban and was loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud, has reiterated its position to oppose the Taliban even after the fall of Panjshir's provincial capital Bazarak.

 On the other hand, the Taliban have cancelled the inauguration ceremony of their newly formed interim government in Afghanistan. Earlier, it was reported that the inauguration ceremony is likely to be held on September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Meanwhile, the United States on Friday facilitated the departure of 21 American nationals and 11 Green Card holders, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said."As part of our ongoing commitment, today we facilitated the departure from Afghanistan of 21 US citizens and 11 Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs),” Blinken said in a statement.