More than 4,000 people have been expelled from the Taliban forces in the past five months

Officials from the Taliban purge commission say more than 4,000 people have been expelled from the group over the past five months.

Taliban purge commission chief Lutfullah Hakimi told a news conference yesterday that the group’s ranks had now been completely cleared.

He added that in the past five months, 3,500 complaints have been investigated by the commission, and as a result, 4,350 people, 135 of whom are young men, have been expelled from the group.

“A security commission has been set up to coordinate and organize security affairs,” he added. “The commission is responsible for clearing ranks, monitoring and maintaining affairs, investigating, following up on evacuations and preventing re-entry.”

He said those expelled from the Taliban had been accused of retaliation.