Sources have told Amu TV that Taliban have reappointed an official who was previously detained on corruption allegations to a senior administrative role in their health minister’s office.
The official, Sayedullah, has been named as an in-charge within the office of the chief of staff to the Taliban minister of public health, the sources said, a position that places him inside the minister’s inner administrative structure and gives him influence over day-to-day operations.
Sayedullah had been arrested months earlier on accusations of taking thousands of dollars from applicants in exchange for facilitating passports, according to the same sources. He was detained alongside two others and later released. At the time, the Interior Ministry’s intelligence wing published footage of his arrest.
Sources said Sayedullah is a relative to the current chief of staff to the minister, a connection that has raised concerns about favoritism and internal patronage networks within the ministry.
His appointment comes amid what sources describe as a broader pattern of arrests, releases and reassignments involving officials accused of corruption inside the Ministry of Public Health.
According to those accounts, Mohammad Taher Halim, the chief of staff to the minister, was also detained on corruption allegations but later released on bail and returned to his position. Sources said he has since appointed more than 100 relatives and associates to posts within the ministry.
Other officials have faced repeated detentions. Abdul Samad Bashari, a procurement manager, and Omran Sadat, a legal adviser to the minister, were arrested more than a month ago, released on bail, and then detained again days later, the sources said.
In another case, Abdul Hakim Himmat, the former head of the ministry’s mass immunization department who was dismissed following corruption allegations, has since been reassigned to a role overseeing intensive care (ICU) services, according to the sources.
The issue has drawn attention to internal governance practices at the Taliban-run ministry, which plays a central role in delivering healthcare services in Afghanistan and relies heavily on international funding.
Amid growing scrutiny, Noor Jalal Jalali, the Taliban public health minister, convened ministry staff on Tuesday, April 14, and criticized what he described as negative media coverage, while asserting that the ministry’s work was proceeding effectively, according to people familiar with the meeting.
Last month, a spokesman for the health ministry said that some employees could face legal action for violating policies or administrative rules, but emphasized that the ministry employs thousands of people and that performance varies.
The Taliban Ministry of Public Health has not publicly commented on Sayedullah’s appointment or responded to questions about the allegations involving ministry officials.
The developments highlight persistent concerns about transparency and oversight within Taliban-run institutions, particularly in sectors that depend on international assistance.
