The Taliban have threatened to arrest residents who filmed and shared videos of recent clashes over Pakistani medicines in Kandahar, with some people reportedly deleting footage and leaving their homes for fear of detention.
One of the people who posted a video said the Taliban had made inquiries about his whereabouts and home address and intended to arrest him. After learning of the threat, he deleted the video from his Facebook account and left his home. He is now staying at an undisclosed location and fears returning because of security concerns.
The clashes took place outside drug markets on New Road in the first district of Kandahar city. According to local residents, a group of armed Taliban personnel arrived at the markets and attempted to collect medicines arbitrarily.
Several people filmed the confrontation and the conduct of the armed personnel before sharing the footage on social media.
Following the circulation of the videos, the Taliban warned some of those who had posted them to delete the footage from Facebook and other social media accounts or face arrest. Although several people removed their videos after receiving the threats, footage of the incident remains available on other accounts.
Local residents said they had not expected the Taliban to target people who published the footage. Instead of examining the conduct of the armed personnel and the manner in which they attempted to collect medicines, they said, the Taliban had shifted their attention to those who recorded and shared the incident.
Residents also said the Taliban had accused people of attacking their personnel and damaging their vehicles rather than investigating the behavior of their own forces.
The threats follow earlier reports that 22 people were arrested after the clashes, while other residents were also threatened with arrest.
