London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 27, 2026

Taliban official says regime is bringing back executions, amputations

The Taliban will once again resort to executions and amputations to enforce a strict interpretation of Islamic law – though possibly not in public, one of the group’s founders said.
The Taliban will once again resort to executions and amputations to enforce a strict interpretation of Islamic law — though possibly not in public, one of the group’s founders said in a new interview.

Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, the one-eyed, one-legged enforcer who was in charge of justice during the Taliban’s brutal rule two decades ago, warned the international community not to interfere with the new regime in Kabul.

“Everyone criticized us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments,” Turabi told the Associated Press from the capital.

“No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam and we will make our laws on the Quran,” he added.

Since taking power Aug. 15, the Taliban have sent a collective shudder among Afghans by reinstating the Ministry for Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which had been abolished following the US occupation.

From 1996 to 2001, the ministry enforced stringent restrictions on women, who were forced to wear the burqa, forbidden from leaving their home without a male relative, and banned from education beyond the sixth grade.

The ministry, which was headed by Turabi at the time, also brutally imposed prayer times, mandated that men grow beards, and prohibited music, smoking and other forms of entertainment.

During his time at the helm, the world condemned the extremists’ punishments — public spectacles that took place in Kabul’s sports stadium or on the grounds of the Eid Gah mosque.

Convicted murderers were usually executed with a single shot to the head, carried out by the victim’s family, who had the choice of accepting “blood money” and allowing the person to live.

Convicted thieves had a hand amputated, while the punishment for highway robbers was the loss of a foot and a hand.

“Cutting off of hands is very necessary for security,” Turabi told the AP, adding that the cabinet was considering a policy on whether to mete out the punishments in public.

He noted that this time, judges — including women — would adjudicate cases, but that the foundation of the national laws will be the Quran.

Despite his ominous message, Turabi insisted that the Taliban “are changed from the past.”

He said they will allow television, mobile phones, photos and video “because this is the necessity of the people, and we are serious about it.”

Chillingly, he added that if punishments are made public, people may be allowed to video or take photos to spread the deterrent effect.
Comments

Sid 5 year ago
Ah the religion of peace. Why would any country allow this 7th century barbarians in their country where it is well known they will never assimilate

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
TSA Unveils Major Airport-Security Overhaul as It Drops Gold+ Privatization Plan
CIA Chief Warned Russia Against Attacking NATO in Secret Moscow Mission
Raheem Sterling Charged With Dangerous Driving After Lamborghini Crash
The Secret Dolly Parton Kept Until Her Death: "She Was Much Sicker Than She Let On"
Glacier Collapse, Not Earthquake, Triggered Deadly Nepal-Tibet Flood
Andy Burnham Drops Plan to Cap Political Donations
Conservative Leadership Contest Intensifies as Robert Jenrick Attacks Kemi Badenoch
French-Born Defence Secretary Wes Streeting Condemns Homophobic Abuse Since Taking Office
UK Government Delays Commercial Robotaxi Rollout in London Over Regulatory Gaps
NHS Complaints About Autism and ADHD Care Waiting Times Triple Over Five Years
UK Government Launches 10,000 Work Placements for Young People With Sainsbury's
NHS England to Offer Free At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Kits
EU Biometric Border Checks Cause Delays of Up to Five Hours for British Travellers
US Imposes Economic Sanctions on UK-Based Protest Group Palestine Action
Two Planned UK Datacentres Could Produce More Annual Carbon Emissions Than ExxonMobil's Entire UK Operation
London Surgeons Complete First Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Brain Tumour Removal
UK Services Growth Rebounds as Consumer Confidence Reaches Two-Year High
Ofgem Confirms Four Percent October Energy Price Cap Increase for UK Households
Government Considers Insolvency Law Changes to Bring Thames Water Into Public Ownership
Andy Burnham Signs Artificial Intelligence Defence Pact During Visit to Kyiv
Church of England Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Historical Safeguarding Failures
Reform UK Proposes £30 Tax Credit for Long HMRC Telephone Queues
Greater Manchester Secures More Than £100 Million to Upgrade Victorian Railway Stations
East Midlands Railway Urges Essential Travel Ahead of Bank Holiday Strikes
UK Economy Grows 0.4 Percent in Second Quarter as Global and Energy Pressures Weigh
UK Government and Sainsbury’s Launch Plan for 10,000 Youth Work Experience Placements
Scottish Government Plans Tighter Remote-Working Rules and Possible Voluntary Redundancies
Scottish Budget Faces More Than £700 Million Reduction After Tax Revenue Adjustment
Nearly 100 Labour MPs Press Andy Burnham to Back Electoral Reform Commission
UK Energy Price Cap Rises Four Percent to £1,723 as Middle East Conflict Drives Wholesale Gas Costs
Turnbull Warns AUKUS Could Leave Australia Without Promised Nuclear Submarines
California Billionaires Pour More Than $150 Million Into Fight Over Proposed Wealth Tax
German Broadcaster Goes Dark to Warn AfD Could End Its Saxony-Anhalt Service
Badenoch Plans Major Shadow Cabinet Reshuffle as Tories Struggle in Third Place
UK Government Demands Action Against Social Media Content Promoting Dangerous Driving
Labour Backbenchers Prepare Push for Electoral Reform Under Andy Burnham
Fire at Gatwick Airport Car Park Destroys 140 Vehicles and Cuts Local Power
UK Plans Voluntary Libido-Suppressing Medication Programme Across 20 Prisons
NHS England Launches Free Home Cervical Cancer Testing Kits Nationwide
Imperial College Study Warns North Sea Oil Projects Could Cause Hundreds of Billions of Pounds in Climate Damage
UK Inflation Rises to 2.9% as Middle East Conflict Pushes Up Energy Costs
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Visits Kyiv to Strengthen UK Support for Ukraine
Premier League Season Opens With Managerial Debuts and Dramatic Early Fixtures
England Cricket Drops Brydon Carse From Selection Pending Club Investigation
Graeme Dott Convicted of Child Sexual Abuse Offences in Scotland
Protesters Occupy British Aircraft Parts Factory Over Alleged Military Links to Israel
More Than 100 Former British and French Diplomats Call for Sanctions on Israel
Ipsos Poll Shows British Public Split Between Immigration Controls and Economic Growth
British Cybersecurity Agencies Raise Alert Over Growing Threats to Critical Infrastructure
Two-Thirds of England Now Under Official Drought Conditions After Prolonged Summer Heat
×