Taliban sentences brother of Afghan translator who helped US troops to death, letters obtained by CNN

The letters are just one example of how the Taliban directly threatens Afghans who have worked with the United States or are family members of those who have, leaving them to scramble to flee the country to the aftermath of the Taliban takeover.

The second handwritten letter is a notice of his absence from the hearing.

In the third letter, which is typed, the Taliban inform the man that because he dismissed previous warnings to stop “your bondage to crusader invaders” and ignored a subpoena for a hearing, he was “guilty in absentia “and will be sentenced to death.

The Taliban have delivered the letters over the past three months to the interpreter’s brother, according to the former serviceman who worked with the interpreter.

CNN does not identify the Afghan, or his family member, to protect their identity in the face of the threats they face. The letters, which were written in Pashto and translated into English for CNN, have seals that match those on the Taliban’s archival letters.

“These court decisions are final and you will not have the right to oppose them”, we read in the third letter. “You chose this path for yourself and your death is eminent [sic], God willing.”

The letters contradict assurances that Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid made at a press conference last week as the group tries to project a more moderate image to the world.

“No one will be injured in Afghanistan,” Mujahid said. “Of course there is a huge difference between us today and 20 years ago.”

U.S. Afghan allies doubt it, and these letters and numerous reports of the Taliban seeking revenge explain why many Afghans fear the Taliban will resume its brutal and oppressive rule.

The Biden administration has come under intense pressure to evacuate not only Afghan special immigrant visa applicants, but also other vulnerable Afghans who fear for their lives. The administration struggled to deal with the massive crush of people trying to flee the country on evacuation flights from Kabul, as chaotic scenes unfolded for days outside the airport international Hamid Karzai.