Afghanistan: UN report reveals Taliban killed over 100 former Afghan officials

Despite pledging to provide amnesty to those who have previously worked for the western-backed Afghan government, a United Nations report reveals that the Taliban has not fulfilled its pledge. The report revealed that the insurgent group had killed over 100 former officials and those who used to work for the western troops since their takeover.

A report by the United Nations over the weekend revealed that the Taliban had executed more than 100 former Afghan officials and coalition members since taking control of the country in August 2021. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed to the UN Security Council that more than half the victims were allegedly extrajudicially killed by the insurgent group or its affiliates.

“Despite announcements of general amnesties for former members of the Government, security forces, and those who worked with international military forces, UNAMA continued to receive credible allegations of killings, enforced disappearances, and other violations” against former government workers and coalition members.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 44 cases of temporary arrests, beatings, and threats of intimidation. 42 of the cases were by the Taliban. UNAMA also received allegations of extrajudicial killings of around 50 people suspected to be associated with ISIL-KP, the ISIL group in Afghanistan.

Eight members of civil society were among the victims, three of them by the Taliban, and the other three by ISIL-KP or ISIS-K. 10 were subject to temporary arrests, beatings, and threats by the insurgent group. Two journalists were also killed, one by ISIS-K, and two were injured by armed men whose identities are unknown.

Guterres also said that human rights defenders and those in the media continue to face attacks, intimidation, harassment, arrest, killings, and mistreatment.

Aside from the extrajudicial killings, the UN has also warned that millions of Afghans are facing starvation as the takeover of the Taliban worsened the economic crisis Afghanistan was already facing. The UN has launched an appeal to get $5 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan to make it through the year.

Early in January, the US announced that it was providing $308 million in humanitarian aid to Afghans, bringing the US contribution to over $780 million since October.