Four senior officials from the Taliban-run Health Ministry have been released on bail after being detained in a corruption investigation, according to people familiar with the matter, in a case that has exposed tensions and scrutiny within one of Afghanistan’s most critical institutions.
The officials include a Taliban deputy minister for service delivery, as well as the heads of curative medicine, human resources and the minister’s office, the sources said.
Their release follows a series of arrests carried out by Taliban intelligence in recent weeks, targeting senior ministry figures accused of administrative corruption.
Last month, Taliban intelligence detained at least five officials from the ministry, including Noorullah Darwish, head of documents and communications, according to the sources. Those detainees were later transferred to a unit known as Directorate 40, which has been associated with interrogation and detention cases.
In a separate incident on Saturday, April 4, Taliban intelligence forces raided the home of the Taliban health minister Noor Jalal Jalali and detained additional senior officials, also on corruption allegations, the sources said.
Taliban officials have not publicly confirmed the details of the raids. However, the ministry’s spokesman, Sharafat Zaman, appeared to acknowledge the broader investigation in a statement on Sunday, April 5, saying that actions against some employees could occur “due to failure to follow policies or violations of administrative principles.”
He denied reports that intelligence forces had raided the minister’s residence.
Zaman described the detentions as part of routine oversight efforts, saying that “in every country, institutions take principled measures to ensure transparency.”
He added that, at times, employees may be temporarily questioned or restricted as part of investigations conducted “in coordination with relevant authorities” to clarify potential violations.
“If an individual is found guilty after investigation, they will be punished in accordance with applicable laws,” he said.
Zaman also emphasized the size of the ministry, which he said employs thousands of people, suggesting that misconduct by a limited number of individuals should be viewed in that context.
Afghanistan’s health sector remains heavily dependent on international assistance and is widely regarded as one of the country’s most vital public services. The issue also highlights broader questions about governance under the Taliban, who have repeatedly claimed to have eliminated corruption.
