The killing of Abdul Wali Naeemi, a former Afghan Special Police Unit officer, has once again raised questions about the Taliban’s unfulfilled pledge of a general amnesty for ex-security personnel.
Naeemi, originally from Panjshir province, returned to Kabul from Iran on August 15, 2025. Just two days later, he disappeared. Nearly two weeks afterward, his family located his body at Kabul’s Forensic Medical Services Department.
Local sources confirmed that his body showed clear signs of torture: bullet wounds to the body and neck, a broken hand, and severe facial injuries. Footage obtained by Afghan media also revealed wounds on his forehead and nose; while bruising on his hands indicated they had been tied during interrogation.
Naeemi, a father of four, had served in the Afghan security forces before the Taliban takeover. His death fits a disturbing pattern: despite announcing an amnesty in 2021, the Taliban have systematically targeted former security officers, with hundreds killed in the years since.
Human rights monitors confirm the trend. The latest Tolerance report documented a 30% increase in extrajudicial killings in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Adding to the crisis, Iran and Pakistan have deported over two million Afghan refugees this year, many of them ex-security personnel now facing detention, torture, or death upon return.
Naeemi’s fate, observers warn, underscores how the Taliban’s broken promises continue to cost Afghan families their loved ones.
