A outstanding rights group says the Taliban unlawfully killed 13 ethnic Hazaras, most of them Afghan troopers who had surrendered to the insurgents
CAIRO — Taliban forces unlawfully killed 13 ethnic Hazaras, most of them Afghan troopers who had surrendered to the insurgents, a outstanding rights group mentioned Tuesday.
The killings occurred within the village of Kahor in Daykundi province in central Afghanistan on Aug. 30, in keeping with an investigation by Amnesty Worldwide. Eleven of the victims have been members of the Afghan nationwide safety forces and two have been civilians, amongst them a 17-year-old lady.
The reported killings occurred about two weeks after the Taliban took management of Afghanistan in a blitz marketing campaign, culminating of their takeover of Kabul. On the time, Taliban leaders sought to reassure Afghans that they’d modified from their earlier harsh rule of the nation within the late Nineteen Nineties.
The world has been watching whether or not the Taliban would reside as much as their preliminary guarantees of tolerance and inclusiveness towards girls and ethnic minorities, amongst them the Shiite Hazaras. Nonetheless, Taliban actions to date, similar to renewed restrictions on girls and the appointment of an all-male authorities, have been met with dismay by the worldwide group.
Hazaras make up round 9% of Afghanistan’s 36 million individuals. They’re typically focused as a result of they’re Shiite Muslims in a Sunni-majority nation.
Amnesty’s secretary basic, Agnes Callamard, mentioned that “these cold-blooded executions (of the Hazaras) are additional proof that the Taliban are committing the identical horrific abuses they have been infamous for throughout their earlier rule of Afghanistan.”
Taliban spokespersons Zabihullah Mujahid and Bilal Karimi didn’t reply to calls from The Related Press looking for remark.
The rights group mentioned Sadiqullah Abed, the Taliban-appointed chief of police for Daykundi, denied any killings had occurred and solely mentioned {that a} member of the Taliban had been wounded in an assault within the province.
The Taliban took management of Daykundi province on Aug. 14, in keeping with the Amnesty report, and an estimated 34 former troopers sought security in Khidir district. The troopers, who had authorities army tools and weaponry with them, agreed to give up to the Taliban.
Mohammad Azim Sedaqat, who led the group’s give up, organized to decommission the weapons within the presence of Taliban members.
On Aug. 30, an estimated 300 Taliban fighters arrived in a convoy near Dahani Qul village, the place the safety forces members have been staying, some with members of the family, in keeping with Amnesty’s report. Because the safety forces tried to depart the realm with their households, Taliban fighters caught up with them and opened fireplace on the group, killing a 17-year-old lady named Masuma. One soldier fired again, killing a Taliban fighter and wounding one other.
The Taliban continued to shoot because the households fled, killing two troopers, in keeping with the report. After 9 safety forces surrendered, the Taliban took them to a close-by river basin and killed them, in keeping with the rights group.
Amnesty mentioned it verified pictures and video proof taken within the aftermath of the killings.
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Related Press author Rahim Faiez in Istanbul contributed to this report.