Western international locations specific concern over Afghan reprisals, Taliban reject accusations

The United States and a bunch of Western international locations together with Germany, France and Britain have expressed concern over reported killings and disappearances of former members of the Afghan safety forces after the Taliban took energy in Afghanistan in August.
In a joint assertion issued over the weekend, the 21 international locations plus the European Union referred to studies of such abuses documented by Human Rights Watch and others.
“We underline that the alleged actions constitute serious human rights abuses and contradict the Taliban’s announced amnesty,” mentioned the assertion, issued by the German Foreign Ministry.
“Reported cases must be investigated promptly and in a transparent manner, those responsible must be held accountable, and these steps must be clearly publicized as an immediate deterrent to further killings and disappearances,” it mentioned.

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sayed Khosti rejected the accusation of reprisal killings, saying no proof had been offered.
“If there is any evidence, it should be shared with us,” he mentioned in a video assertion, pointing to the final amnesty introduced by the Taliban authorities.
“We have had some individual cases of killings of ex-government members but these were due to private enmity and we’ve arrested those involved.”
“This is slander against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, not justice.”
Human Rights Watch mentioned in a report on November 30 that Taliban forces in Afghanistan have executed or forcibly disappeared greater than 100 former police and intelligence officers since taking on the nation on August 15, regardless of the proclaimed amnesty.

The Taliban inside ministry has rejected the Human Rights Watch report however mentioned it might arrest anybody who may very well be proven to have carried out violent reprisals towards members of the previous army.
Facing a deep financial disaster following the abrupt withdrawal of overseas support when Western international locations pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban have been interesting for worldwide assist to stave off a humanitarian catastrophe, with greater than half the inhabitants dealing with starvation over the winter.
The joint assertion mentioned, “We will continue to measure the Taliban by their actions”.
The assertion was issued by Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and the United States.