Hasht-e Subh
Taliban Gouge Out a Driver's Eye in Baghlan
Hasht-e Subh, Kabul — August 18, 2024

A driver in Baghlan province reports that Taliban fighters gouged out one of his eyes at a checkpoint in the Doshi district of this province.

In a video provided to Hasht-e Subh on Sunday, August 18, the driver recounted the incident, stating that he was subjected to this violence by the Taliban without any apparent reason. He accuses the Taliban fighters of mistreatment and abuse of their power.

Sources indicate that the driver, identified as Qudrat, is employed with a private transport company and was traveling in a type 580 passenger vehicle. According to the sources, Qudrat was traveling from Mazar-e Sharif to Kabul on Saturday night and was stopped near the Taliban's security command in Doshi district. The Taliban reportedly beat him and gouged out his eye because he was driving too fast.

The assault on a civilian driver by Taliban forces—culminating in the gouging out of his eye for allegedly driving too fast—demonstrates a severe case of extrajudicial punishment and unchecked brutality. Such acts exemplify the systemic use of torture, the absence of due process, and the abuse of power by Taliban security personnel. This not only violates fundamental human rights but also underscores the climate of impunity and fear imposed on civilians under Taliban rule.