Afghanistan: Taliban warned against targeting former security forces
The US and a host of allied countries have called on the
Taliban to end the targeted killings of former members of Afghan security
forces.
In a joint statement, the 22 nations demanded that the
Islamist regime respect its pledge not to harm former government or security
personnel.
"We are deeply concerned by reports of summary killings
and enforced disappearances", the statement says.
It follows a damning report on killings and abductions by
the Islamist regime.
Released by the Human Rights Watch earlier this week, the
report documented more than 100 executions and abductions of former Afghan
government officials since the Taliban took control of the country almost four
months ago.
It also documented the murder of 47 members of the Afghan
security forces who surrendered to, or were captured by, the Taliban between 15
August and 31 October.
This is despite the regime's assurance that previous
government workers would not be harmed.
The short joint statement was issued by the US and signed by
the UK, European Union and a further 19 countries. It outlined their deep
concerns over the report's findings and called on all cases of extrajudicial
killings and enforced disappearances to be fully investigated.
"We will continue to measure the Taliban by their
actions," the statement concluded.
There have been many instances of the Taliban's actions
contradicting what they have pledged, and previous humanitarian reports have
also revealed targeted killings.
In August a report published by Amnesty International found
that 300 Taliban fighters travelled to an area near Dahani Qul village on 30
August, where former government soldiers were staying with their families.
The report says the fighters executed nine of the soldiers after
they had already surrendered, two more died in the crossfire and a further two
civilians were also killed during the fighting that ensued, including a
17-year-old girl.
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