Afghan girl accuses senior Taliban leader of beating and raping her

A young Afghan said in a video posted on social media that a senior Taliban leader beat, raped and forcibly married her. Charges denied by the member of the fundamentalist Islamist regime.

The 25-year-old woman, who goes by the simple first name of Elaha, explains that she was sexually assaulted by Saeed Khosty, a former spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior. Saeed Khosty has denied the assault charges, saying he divorced Elaha after a “consent marriage”.

The accusations and their denials are broadcast and shared thousands of times on social media in Afghanistan, where it is rare for such personal details to be aired publicly.

In the video posted on Tuesday, Elaha, who calls herself a medical student at Kabul University, tearfully recounts the ordeal she lived through for several months. “I was beaten. I was raped. I didn’t know what I should do. He filmed me and threatened to publish the video”, assures the young woman.

Attempt to escape

Elaha, who claims to be the daughter of a former Afghan general, says she tried to flee but was caught at the Torkham post on the Pakistan border, from where she was taken to a prison from Kabul.

She adds that she was then asked to apologize to the senior Taliban leader and was beaten when she refused to do so. It is unknown where Elaha posted this video from and where it is currently located.

“She had some issues regarding her beliefs and faith. I tried to correct it through discussions and advice, but it didn’t work,” the senior Taliban official defended in a statement posted on Twitter.

“I didn’t beat her, but using my Islamic rights, I divorced her. I regret my hastily contracted marriage to her,” he continued.