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More than 100 former members of the Afghan security forces in four provinces have been killed or disappeared by the Taliban in the first 2-1/2 months of the militants’ rule, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. The deaths are part of a string of assassinations and summary executions, largely considered revenge killings, that have been happening across Afghanistan since the fall of Ashraf Ghani’s government in August. The attacks underscore the dangers that Taliban critics, activists and members of the former government’s security forces face despite the Taliban announcement of a general amnesty for former government workers and military officials.
In a report released on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch detailed the killing and forced disappearance of 47 members of the former government’s security forces who had either surrendered to the Taliban or were detained by them between August 15 and October 31 in four of the country’s 34 provinces: Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar and Kunduz.
The group’s research indicates that the Taliban are responsible for the deaths or disappearances of at least another 53 former security force members in the same provinces. “The Taliban leadership’s promised amnesty has not stopped local commanders from executing or disappearing former Afghan security force members,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director of the Human Rights lings had evolved into a more “deliberate” effort to crush dissidents and those who may pose a threat to the new government and that the Taliban leaders were “condoning” the atrocities.
A Taliban spokesperson said some fighters might have taken the law into their own hands to settle old scores, but that the killings and disappearances were not Taliban policy. The spokesperson, Inamullah Samangani, said the government was “seriously investigating” such incidents. “We are fully committed to the amnesty that we have announced,” Samangani said. “We don’t have a security system yet in place, and some people are taking advantage of this vacuum.” “Revenge killings aren’t in the interest of our government.”
In a report released on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch detailed the killing and forced disappearance of 47 members of the former government’s security forces who had either surrendered to the Taliban or were detained by them between August 15 and October 31 in four of the country’s 34 provinces: Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar and Kunduz.
The group’s research indicates that the Taliban are responsible for the deaths or disappearances of at least another 53 former security force members in the same provinces. “The Taliban leadership’s promised amnesty has not stopped local commanders from executing or disappearing former Afghan security force members,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director of the Human Rights lings had evolved into a more “deliberate” effort to crush dissidents and those who may pose a threat to the new government and that the Taliban leaders were “condoning” the atrocities.
A Taliban spokesperson said some fighters might have taken the law into their own hands to settle old scores, but that the killings and disappearances were not Taliban policy. The spokesperson, Inamullah Samangani, said the government was “seriously investigating” such incidents. “We are fully committed to the amnesty that we have announced,” Samangani said. “We don’t have a security system yet in place, and some people are taking advantage of this vacuum.” “Revenge killings aren’t in the interest of our government.”
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