Promoted to governor of Kabul in late 2023, Aminullah Obaid developed his early political skills in central Afghanistan’s Daykundi Province. Despite his apparent friendliness, he is known to hold hard-line views. In 2023, his authority was felt by journalists at a local radio station when their editor-in-chief, who was seen as too critical of the regime, was sentenced to one year in prison for accusing him of embezzling humanitarian aid. Details about Obaid’s past are unknown. Forbidden Stories and Etilaatroz investigated this governor, who was relatively unknown before the Taliban regained power in 2021.
Afghan journalist Sultan Ali Jawadi experiences constant anxiety. In the unnamed Pakistani city where he has sought refuge, he lives in fear of being forcibly returned to Afghanistan.
Pakistani police are intensifying their neighborhood raids; in 2025, the United Nations reports that 942,000 Afghans were expelled from Pakistan. For Jawadi, being forced to return would mean a death sentence.
In late 2025, following repeated interrogations, he fled from his home in the Daykundi province, close to the famous Buddhas of Bamiyan. Known as a voice for change in this predominantly Hazara region governed by a mostly Pashtun Taliban, Jawadi, as editor-in-chief of Radio Nasim, the most popular station with 300,000 listeners, advocates progressive ideas, particularly women’s rights and education.
However, since the Taliban took power in August 2021, Jawadi’s freedom of expression has been increasingly restricted. By August 2025, four years after the Taliban captured Kabul, he was arrested for the 12th time, which was one too many. The journalist surrendered, and Radio Nasim ceased broadcasting: “For 13 years, we were the voice of hope, kindness, awareness, and life… But today, with a heavy heart, we must say, ‘We can’t go on any longer.’”
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Since the Taliban’s return, Afghanistan has seen a major clampdown on freedom. Over 75 journalists have been detained, and many have fled. The International Federation of Journalists states that roughly 95% of women have exited the profession. Criticism of the regime is firmly suppressed, and “even writing about a simple traffic incident can be problematic,” an exiled journalist noted anonymously. Yet from abroad, in places like France, the United States, and Canada, exiled journalists continue to hold the regime accountable, relying on anonymous correspondents inside the country.
Forbidden Stories explored the career of Aminullah Obaid, the former provincial governor who first targeted the station’s journalists. Jawadi’s arrest and subsequent prison sentence arose after the station accused Obaid of facilitating the embezzlement of humanitarian aid. In collaboration with Etilaatroz, Forbidden Stories traced the enigmatic career of this influential figure within the Taliban, a man whose rise in power remains largely obscured from public knowledge. In late 2023, Obaid became the governor of Kabul.
Accusations of “propaganda” and “espionage”
Upon his arrival in Daykundi in 2021, Obaid presented a more moderate image of the Taliban. Shortly after the group took control, he participated in a filmed interview nearly 40 minutes long with Radio Nasim, discussing policies and commitments with a smile. Jawadi remained critical, questioning policies on forced population movements, women’s rights, and the region’s economy.
"He wanted positive media coverage to highlight his achievements in the province," a local journalist mentioned. Some people who interacted with Obaid described him as “sociable” and “affable.”
"I dared to criticize certain regime policies in his presence, particularly on girls’ educational access, but was later imprisoned," a teacher said. Such stories paint a picture of Obaid as unforgiving.
Allegations of "propaganda" and "espionage"
"The Taliban might listen and nod, but they ultimately follow higher orders. This was evident during the U.S. negotiations in Doha," noted Javid Ahmad, Afghanistan’s former ambassador to the UAE. Since Kabul’s fall, he has tracked regime leaders with his Taliban Leadership Tracker.
Jawadi is accused of reporting regional poverty, one of his “crimes” based on a Daykundi intelligence directorate complaint, confirmed by a subsequent "fatwa," or court order. He faced interrogations, torture, and detention for alleged espionage and propaganda against the regime.
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In December 2023, Jawadi received a one-year prison sentence. Such trials against journalists were rare at that time. A Supreme Court document from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan lists his other "crimes," including providing reports to foreign entities about girls’ school closures and journalist threats. The primary accusation, which Jawadi denies, involves reporting on local authority extortions from NGOs.
The Radio Nasim team avoided naming article authors to stay safe, yet Jawadi’s fate seemed predetermined by the judge with no evidence needed. "In cases concerning Allah’s rights, reports from two individuals or one just person—even if witnesses are concealed—suffice for Ta’zir punishment," the fatwa stated concerning Jawadi’s punishment.
Across the province, outspoken individuals frequently featured on Radio Nasim now fear for their safety. "We often spoke on air about freedom, women’s education, and against religious extremism," said a human rights defender deemed by the Taliban as “a reporter, spy, and collaborator with international organizations, leading youth astray.”
Threatened with death, the defender discovered his name on a Taliban “kill list,” according to an email from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reviewed by Forbidden Stories. The stark message: they must be eliminated. “Authorities in the Central Highlands must increase actions based on Islamic principles against spies and hypocrites, whose names appear below. They are to be suppressed, eliminated, and stripped of their benefits,” the document states, highlighting official kill lists and directives for local governors. Five Etilaatroz-sourced testimonies from Daykundi claim Obaid established a small network targeting, interrogating, and torturing human rights activists.
No record of Obaid’s activities before 2021
Obaid was a newcomer to the Taliban’s leadership when appointed in Daykundi, and nothing about his past or contributions to the movement is publicly known. However, he is active on X, his account opened in 2022, documenting inaugurations, inspections, visits to camps, and press briefings—all promoting the regime. “We must preserve this system,” he told governors in December 2025. But no records of his pre-Taliban power activities exist.
Since 2021, the Taliban appointed hundreds to key roles. "Understanding their pasts—which may involve violence—their allies, and technical abilities is crucial. Sometimes, simply knowing who they are dealing with," said former ambassador Ahmad.
Many governors are ex-commanders. Their identities are sometimes hidden, noted Shahmahmood Miakhel, a former defense minister under President Ashraf Ghani (2014-2021). "Even the regime’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid—we don’t know his actual name. They’re used to capturing power, hiding identities, pasts, and evading sanctions," he explained.
Forbidden Stories and Etilaatroz unearthed rare Obaid photos from a pro-Taliban X account in 2020, ahead of his rise. One picture shows him with a blue turban, an AK-47 on his shoulder, and flanked by two fighters. The caption reads: “Those who come to kill us, we will fight with their own weapons.”
An intelligence source suggested that Obaid headed a Taliban “front” in the Hazarajat area—including Daykundi—during the insurgency and was a shadow governor in 2007. "He was a shadow governor for Daykundi and Baghlan, commanding many fighters," added another source.
Around 20 testimonies from Farah, Herat, and Nimroz provinces gathered by Etilaatroz about Obaid reveal the new regime’s powerful figure. Anonymous for safety, informants documented Obaid’s name, confirming it as Aminullah Obaid, believed to come from Gajgin village in Farah’s Pusht Rod district, near Iran. "He’s the son of a well-regarded man, not connected to the Taliban," shared one interviewee.
The Taliban’s co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar allegedly stayed at Obaid’s home after their regime’s collapse in 2001. The man named “Mullah Brother” reportedly stayed six months. Obaid’s association with Baradar and his tribal link—Obaid is of the Pashtun Noorzai tribe like the Taliban’s Emir Haibatullah Akhundzada—could explain his rise, speculated two accounts. In June 2025, Obaid was pictured sharing tea with Baradar, now deputy prime minister, on a manicured lawn against poppy-filled backgrounds.
Humanitarian aid: A crucial issue for Afghanistan
In interviews, Farah residents claimed Obaid and his brother, “Mullah Masoom,” extorted merchants and property owners.
"Given their armed status and Taliban backing, they acquired wealth during the conflict, dividing proceeds between themselves and the Taliban," an interviewee explained.
Radio Nasim ventured into taboo topics like corruption and embezzlement, displeasing the regime. The Taliban rose promising integrity and to counter massive Republic-era corruption. Jawadi’s primary accusation is allegedly reporting United Nations’ service on regime extortion from aid entities, which he denies. Daykundi’s humanitarian aid malpractice concerns UNAMA—a key humanitarian coordinator. Aid suspension happened in 2022, with 15 NGOs pausing activities because of this issue.
Obaid remains a contentious figure. "In Daykundi, we’ve struggled with a governor. Some are more… reasonable," remarked a UNAMA employee under anonymity.
"There was a dispute between Obaid and the UN," commented a Western expert. "Daykundi’s aid redirection challenge involved the governor’s imposed beneficiary lists… some benefiting Taliban associates."
Having long relied on humanitarian support, Afghanistan received billions. Under the Republic, 75% of the government’s budget came from international funds, totaling about 45% of GDP. Nearly $5 billion annually reached the country from 2002 to 2021.
"Recent embezzlement, though present, pales compared to the Republic’s rampant corruption due to huge aid flows… Monetary volume today is unmatched," observed Jean-François Cautain, a former EU ambassador once stationed in Kabul.
Early 2025 saw the U.S. halt its aid supply, making up 36% of overall aid. These reductions catastrophically impacted citizens. "Consider WHO, shutting 364 primary health sites in Afghanistan," Cautain highlighted. As hunger resurfaces, poverty deepens. The Taliban, despite voicing integrity, may potentially seek profitable opportunities.
Unprecedented and damning testimonies
Since 2008, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) audited community expenditure. Despite troop withdrawal in 2021, the agency continued its financial evaluations until dissolving on Jan. 31, 2026. One report, “A Broken Aid System,” released in August 2025, analyzed aid misappropriation under the new government, suggesting practices for resumed U.S. assistance.
Forgidden Stories exclusively accessed confidential report documents, featuring 85 mainly local interviews. Giving these accounts risked lives—collaborating with Americans carried lethal consequences. The Taliban caught and killed “Interviewee Y” (details below) for exposing local conditions and U.S. communication. "People fear the regime, hence truth gets concealed," stated a SIGAR source.
Money & Markets Editor
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