Over 200 ex-Afghan officials killed since Taliban takeover: UN

Published August 23, 2023
A Taliban supporter holds an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan flag on the first anniversary of the fall of Kabul on a street in Kabul. — Reuters/File
A Taliban supporter holds an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan flag on the first anniversary of the fall of Kabul on a street in Kabul. — Reuters/File

KABUL: More than 200 members of Afghanistan’s former military, law enforcement and government have been killed since the Taliban took over, the UN mission in Afghanistan said on Tuesday, despite a “general amnesty” for old enemies.

The mission said in a report it had recorded at least 218 extrajudicial killings with links to the Taliban from their takeover of Afghanistan in mid-2021 up to June. “In most instances, individuals were detained by de facto security forces, often briefly, before being killed,” the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.

The Taliban-led foreign affairs ministry said in response to UNAMA that it had not received reports of any cases of non-compliance with the order and any cases that did occur would be investigated.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the killings were a “betrayal of the people’s trust” since the victims had been assured they would not be targeted. UN rights office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said the scale of killings was “shocking” and expected the true count to be higher.

UNAMA said about half of the killings it recorded occurred in the four months after the Taliban took over, as US-backed foreign forces were withdrawing, in August 2021, and 70 were recorded in 2022.

In total, UNAMA had recorded 800 incidents of human rights violations against former government employees and military.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...