The tragic fate of former Afghan Republic military officers under Taliban rule has claimed yet another victim. Colonel Zalmai “Derwish,” who spent approximately four years living in exile in Iran, decided to return to his homeland, trusting official assurances of safety. However, his homecoming ended in a brutal nightmare just one month later.
According to local sources, four armed individuals wearing uniforms attributed to the Taliban forcibly dragged Colonel Derwish out of his residence in Kabul’s Khairkhana neighborhood, bundling him into an unknown location. For five agonizing days and nights, his family searched desperately for answers, only to be coldly informed by the local security district that his lifeless body was in custody and ready for retrieval.
Instead of security, peace, or a chance at a renewed life, Colonel Derwish’s return led directly to arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, and death. This harrowing incident serves as a glaring symbol of the ongoing dangers confronting former security personnel across Afghanistan. Despite broad claims of amnesties, cases like that of Colonel Derwish raise urgent questions about accountability and expose the perilous reality of life for those who served under the previous administration.