Taliban Conducted Summary Executions of Former Soldiers, Police; U.S. and Other Countries Condemn the Act
The Taliban had conducted summary executions and enforced disappearances of former soldiers and police officers, which the U.S. and a host of other countries condemned.
A joint statement released by the countries said that the alleged actions represent serious human rights abuses, as well as contradicting the Taliban's announced amnesty, according to an NBC News report.
Twenty-two governments released the statement, including the United States, the European Union, Australia, Britain, Japan, Germany, and Ukraine.
The countries urged for quick and transparent investigations into reports of summary executions and enforced disappearances.
Taliban's Summary Executions in Afghanistan
Human Rights Watch released this week a report noting summary executions of the enforced disappearance of 47 former members of the Afghan national security forces, other military personnel, police, and intelligence agents, according to The Guardian report.
The Human Rights Watch report documented that former members of Afghan national security forces had either surrendered to or been apprehended by the Taliban from mid-August through October. Provinces of Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, and Kunduz were the main focus of the report.
Other provinces had faced patterns of abuse, particularly Khost, Paktiya, and Paktika.
A total of 67 interviews were done for the report. It includes 40 in-person interviews in the noted provinces.
Aside from former members of the old government of Afghanistan, their family members were also being targeted.
The Taliban have access to employment records that the former government left behind. In addition, the group conducts intelligence operations for the identification of those individuals.
Baz Muhammad had been employed in Kandahar by the National Directorate of Security. He was visited by Taliban forces around September 30 and was arrested. Muhammad's relatives later found his body.
Surrendering ANSF units were ordered to register with the Taliban for them to receive a letter ensuring their safety. Individuals who have registered have been screened for connections to certain military, police, militia, and special forces units.
Those who surrendered are being required to surrender weapons under the amnesty program. However, the Taliban reported using the screening details to detain and summarily execute the individuals within days of their registration.
Those who failed to register on the amnesty program were also searched for and detained.
Other former government and security officials had to use personal connections for the letter ensuring their safety.
The Taliban on Investigations
Meanwhile, the Taliban had denied the allegations. However, they said that they would be willing to allow an independent investigation into the allegations to occur, according to a BBC News report.
The Taliban said in a statement that there is no evidence that showed anything like the incidents happened.
The Taliban added that they hope the decision regarding the investigation will not be based on the allegations.
An Amnesty International report in August found that 300 Taliban fighters traveled to an area near Dahani Qul village, where former government soldiers were living with their families.
Nine of the soldiers were killed after they had surrendered to the Taliban, according to the Amnesty International report.
Two more died in the crossfire. Two civilians were also killed during the fight, including a 17-year-old girl.
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Written by: Mary Webber
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