Afghan girl accuses senior Taliban leader of raping her and forcing her into marriage

A young Afghan man has claimed in a video on social media that he was beaten, raped and forced into marriage by a senior Taliban leader. A charge denied by a member of the fundamentalist Islamic regime.

• Read more: A year of Taliban rule

The 25-year-old woman, who goes by the simple name of Elaha, explains that she was sexually assaulted by Saeed Gosti, a former spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Saeed Gosti has denied the assault allegations, saying he divorced Elaha after a “consensual marriage”.

The allegations and their denials have been aired and shared thousands of times on social media in Afghanistan, where such private details are rarely aired publicly.

In a video posted on Tuesday, Elaha, who calls herself a medical student at Kabul University, tearfully describes her months-long ordeal.

“I was beaten. I was raped. I don’t know what I should do. He threatened to film me and release the video,” the teenager assures.

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

He says he was then asked to apologize to a senior Taliban leader and beaten when he refused.

It is not known where Elaha posted this video and where it is now.

“She had some issues with her beliefs and faith. I tried to fix it through discussions and consultations, but it didn’t work,” a senior Taliban official argued in a statement posted on Twitter.

“I did not beat her but divorced her using my Islamic rights. I regret the hastily arranged marriage with her,” he continued.

He said the young woman was free to file a complaint against him. “If I am found guilty, the court can punish me. If she does not have faith in the courts of the Islamic Emirate, I am ready to go to any court she wants,” said Saeed Gosti.

“I apologize to the mujahideen (fighters) of the Islamic Emirate and the nation of Afghanistan. May God forgive me,” Gosti added.

After the video was released, the hashtag #justiceforElaha went viral on social media.

Saeed Gosti has also received support from some Taliban, including on social networks.

Last year, Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered authorities to crack down on “those who force or pressure women into marriage”.

Difficulties faced by women have increased since the Taliban returned to power last year. Islamic fundamentalists have closed girls’ secondary schools in several provinces and barred women from many government jobs. They also ordered women to cover themselves completely by wearing a burdha in public places.