Local sources in Panjshir province have revealed that the Afghan Taliban are failing to equip newly recruited local forces, instead instructing them to purchase their own weapons to perform official duties. The move exposes serious administrative failures within the Taliban regime and raises questions about the group’s ability to maintain law and order in Afghanistan.
According to recruits in the Taliban’s police ranks, commanders have warned that anyone failing to secure a weapon themselves will face dismissal. Several recruits, who joined the provincial Taliban police six months ago, report that they have yet to receive any firearms from the authorities. Over ten recruits have already been dismissed for failing to provide their own weapons.
Finding firearms in Panjshir is reportedly challenging, with some Taliban members allegedly selling confiscated civilian weapons at high prices to new recruits. Sources confirm that the group imposed similar demands on local recruits last year, reflecting a persistent pattern of neglect and mismanagement.
The Taliban maintain a significantly higher military presence in Panjshir compared to other provinces, claiming to integrate local residents into their ranks. However, observers note that the deployment is primarily aimed at preventing any resurgence of armed resistance in the province, rather than ensuring effective governance or security.
These developments underscore the Afghan Taliban’s continued inability to provide basic support to its own forces and highlight the broader instability and administrative dysfunction in Afghanistan under their rule. While the group claims control, such coercive measures and operational shortcomings expose the challenges faced by the Taliban in consolidating authority and maintaining order across the country.
The situation in Panjshir raises serious concerns about the Taliban’s governance approach, their treatment of local recruits, and the growing threat to regional stability stemming from Afghanistan’s mismanaged security apparatus.
