Abductions on the rise

Millions of US dollars are paid as ransom money to armed groups including the Taleban in western Afghanistan.

Interviews conducted by Killid reveal that the money percolates to both armed opponents of the government and groups that have links with the government.

Millions of US dollars are paid as ransom money to armed groups including the Taleban in western Afghanistan.

Interviews conducted by Killid reveal that the money percolates to both armed opponents of the government and groups that have links with the government.

A senior official in the National Directorate of Security, who did not want to be named, says districts like Shindand, Adreskan, Zendajan and Kohsan in Herat province are the heart of the abduction business – the kidnappers keep the hostages here. “I can say with full responsibility that most cases of kidnapping are for money. More than 1 million USD are in the pockets of gangs in Herat,” he adds. He confirms abductions are on the rise in provinces like Kabul, Herat, Nangarhar, Nimroz and also in the north.

A big trader Haji Dadgul was abducted in Nangarhar province and his abductors, fighters allied to Daesh as ISIS is known here, are known to have demanded 5 million USD for his release.

Alarming spike

Killid was given documents of the provincial council of Herat that show there were 28 cases of kidnapping in the province between Sep 9, 2016 and Feb 19 this year.

Dr Mahdi Hadeed, the head of the security committee in the provincial council, says the increase in abduction cases has sparked alarm and serious concern in the provincial council. He alleges that the gangs involved are influential, also in the intelligence agencies, and have stopped investigations of security forces for complicity in cases of kidnapping.

Moreover, according to Hadeed, there are documents to prove that huge sums of money have been transferred by abductors in Herat to the bank accounts of the Taleban’s Quetta Council in Pakistan.

The huge ransom demands are bleeding business and traders in Herat. Hamidullah Khadem, head of the industrialists union, says tens of factories have closed because of insecurity. He blames Iran and Pakistan, for being involved since abductions put off investors, and Afghanistan’s neighbours stand to gain. He says forces outside Afghanistan back the gangs with finance.

Mohammad Nayeem Ghoyoor, chief of the intelligence bureau in Herat police headquarters, says the police have had some success in tackling “most gangs” involved in abductions but the Taleban continue to operate in Gozara and Shindand districts and the highways between Herat and Farah and Islam Qala. Killid made repeated attempts to talk to the Taleban but failed.

Ghoyoor did not rule out that some members of the Afghan National Police’s 4,000 to 5,000 personnel in Herat are with kidnappers in the province. He said the police would spare no effort to track and hand them over to the law.

Killid met Baseer Ahmed whose 12-year-old son was kidnapped from Herat City’s 1st District three months ago and released two months later after the family had paid a ransom of 1.5 million Afs (nearly 22,000 USD). The boy studying in class six at Tawhid School was on his way home in a bus when he was abducted on Nov 11 at 1pm. The kidnappers contacted the family one month later and asked for 100,000 USD. Eventually he was released on the payment of 1.5 million Afs. Ahmed says the family has petitioned the Herat police, human rights organisations, the governor’s office, provincial council and other security agencies but there has been no progress in the case and the kidnappers roam free.

Police defence

The police however claim they have had success; police spokesperson Abdul Rawoof Ahmadi says in the 15 cases the police are probing some 25 people have been arrested for links to the crimes. He insists kidnapping has decreased this year.

While Killid has documents to show there were 28 abductions in the province over the four months between September last year and February, Ahmadi continues to insist that the police know of only 15. He blames the families for not reporting the crime to the police or leaving the investigation to them. Instead, they deal directly with the kidnappers and pay the ransom money, he says. Sometimes the kidnapping may be done for revenge, he points out.

Killid spoke to officials in the Attorney General’s Office who said 78 dossiers involving 163 individuals have been referred to their office this year. According to sources, there are policemen among those being investigated. The dossiers have been forwarded not just from the police but other departments.

The figures from the AG’s Office confirm the general concern that cases of abduction have only gone up recently.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Farah province, Ahmad Fareed Bakhtawar, head of the provincial council of Farah says some 20 incidents of abduction have taken place, most of them on the highway. He blames the Taleban for 80 percent of the incidents. They earn millions in ransom money, he says.

Nimroz has also seen a rise in abductions. There were five incidents since January, says Delawar Shah Delawar, the police chief. Six arrests have been made.

Ghor’s Sharak district has become the most dangerous. Abdul Hai Khatibi, spokesperson in the governor’s office, says the cases involve tribal and personal enmities, and the police have been able to secure the release of hostages through the intervention of tribal leaders each time.