August 2, 2021–Following reporting by a human rights organization about retaliatory killing by the Taliban in Afghanistan, diplomats for the United States and the United Kingdom took to Twitter to call for accountability.
The latest report comes after an attack against a UN compound in Herat, Afghanistan. It also follows news from the United Nations about a sharp rise in civilian killings in Afghanistan since May. As violence rises, many international diplomats are questioning whether the Taliban could ever be trusted to govern and take part in peace talks.
Retaliatory Killings
The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) reported on July 31 that its investigators had collected evidence that the Taliban violated international humanitarian law. Specifically, their report says the Taliban expelled former and current civil servants and government supporters from their homes and killed them in a district in the Kandahar Province. Furthermore, the Taliban took revenge on civilians there in the Spin Boldak district who welcomed security forces to the village.
After the Taliban took over the Spin Boldak district, they plundered property, killed civilians and civil workers and expelled people from their homes, the report said. The investigators found evidence of 40 murders in the Spin Boldak district, which the Taliban overtook, since July 16.
That evidence suggests violations against international humanitarian law, which is meant to protect people not directly involved in a conflict.
War Crimes
“The killing of these individuals by the Taliban in Spin Boldak district is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and can amount to war crimes,” the AIHRC report said. “While the Taliban leadership has officially stated that its affiliated militants will not harm civilians or civilian facilities; but this and other similar incidents show that contrary to what they proclaim, the group has no practical commitment to the principles of international human rights and humanitarian law.”
UK, US Speak Up
The embassies for the United States and the United Kingdom recirculated the report and called into question whether the Taliban should take part in the political process.
Pleas for An End to the Offsensive
In mid-July, fifteen countries joined the government of Afghanistan called for “an urgent end” to the Taliban’s military offensive. “On behalf of our respective missions, we vehemently condemn these and any other actions that violate the human rights of Afghan citizens,” their joint statement said.
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