Taliban in Afghanistan: Human Rights Watch blames Taliban for killing hundreds of ex-servicemen, enforced disappearances
A new report by Human Rights Watch claims that more than 100 former members of the Afghan security forces have been killed by the Taliban or have gone missing since the Taliban came to power.
The human rights group says local commanders are targeting veterans and police officers, despite the Taliban leadership's announcement of a general amnesty.
The group accused the Taliban leadership of "supporting" deliberate killings.
The Taliban has denied killing in retaliation.
When the United States withdrew its troops from Afghanistan after the end of the 20-year war, the Taliban took control of the country in August and overthrew Ashraf Ghani's government.
The Taliban have assured ex-servicemen working for the army, police or other agencies that they will be safe under a general amnesty.
But many were skeptical of the apology. The Taliban have killed security personnel and social workers in the past.
In addition, the Taliban has been blamed for a lengthy campaign of targeted killings during the 18 months since taking over the country in early August 2020.
The wave of killings included judges, journalists and social activists.
Analysts say the campaign was aimed at eliminating potential critics and intimidating survivors before coming to power.
The Human Rights Watch report, released on Tuesday, said that targeted killings were continuing in the Taliban regime and that more than 100 people from Ghazni, Helmand, Kunduz and Kandahar had been killed or missing.
The group said the Taliban had asked security forces' surrendering units to register so that they could be given a security certificate, but the information was used to capture, kill or "disappear" them.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Taliban may have used government records left for arrests and killings.
Patricia Gossman, the group's director for Asia, said: "Despite the Taliban government's promise of a general amnesty, local commanders have not stopped killing former Afghan security personnel or killing them after a formal operation."
"The Taliban have a responsibility to prevent further killings, to hold those responsible accountable and to provide compensation to the families of those killed," he said.
Taliban Prime Minister Muhammad Hassan Akhund denied retaliation in a public speech on Saturday.
He said that when the Taliban took control, he announced a "general amnesty for all." Is there an example of this? No problem for anyone.