Western Countries Express Concern Over Afghan Retaliation; Taliban reject accusations

USA and a group of Western countries such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom expressed concern over reports of killings and enforced disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces after the taliban they assumed power in Afghanistan in August.

In a joint statement issued over the weekend, a group of 21 countries plus the European Union referred to reports of abuses documented by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other organizations.

“We emphasize that the alleged actions constitute serious human rights abuses and contradict the amnesty announced by the Taliban,” said the statement, issued by the German Foreign Ministry.

“Reported cases must be investigated promptly and transparently, those responsible must be held accountable, and these measures must be clearly publicized as an immediate deterrent to prevent further killings and disappearances,” he added.

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sayed Khosti rejected the charge of retaliatory killings and said no evidence had been presented.

“If there is any evidence, it should be shared with us,” he said in a video statement, highlighting the blanket amnesty announced by the Taliban government.

“We have had some individual cases of assassinations of former members of the government, but they were due to private enmities and we have arrested those involved,” he said. “This is slander against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, not justice.”

HRW said in a November 30 report that Taliban forces in Afghanistan have executed or forcibly disappeared more than 100 former police and intelligence officers since they took control of the country on August 15, despite the proclaimed amnesty.

The Taliban Interior Ministry rejected the report and said it will arrest anyone who can be shown to have carried out violent retaliation against members of the former army.