(Kabul) The Taliban on Sunday denied having murdered dozens of former members of the Afghan security forces since their return to power, as mentioned the day before by the United States, its Western allies and human rights organizations. Man.
“This information is not based on any evidence. We reject them, ”said Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Qari Sayed Khosti in a video message sent to the press.
“There have been cases of murders of former members of the security forces” of the government overthrown last summer, “but because of personal rivalries or enmities,” he said.
“If they have documents and evidence, they should show them to us,” he added to the West, deeming “unfair” to accuse the Taliban of these murders.
Mr. Khosti recalled that the Taliban had, after their return to power, decreed a general amnesty for all the security forces of the former regime.
Many of them “live quietly” in the country thanks to this amnesty, while they “killed hundreds of fighters. [talibans] and civilians ”during the last two decades of war, he said.
On Saturday, the United States and some 20 countries, including Britain and Japan, as well as the European Union, said they were “deeply concerned” by the “summary executions” of former members of the security forces. by the Taliban regime, revealed by human rights organizations, and called for rapid investigations.
In the week, the NGO Human Rights Watch published a report which, according to it, documents “killings or disappearances of 47 former members of the Afghan national security forces who surrendered or were detained by the Taliban forces. between August 15 and October 31 ”.
Washington and its allies have called for “swift and transparent investigations”. “We will continue to judge the Taliban on their actions,” they also recalled.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August as the US-backed government in Kabul and its army collapsed.
Their return to the helm of the country raised fears of a return to the brutal and rigorous regime of their first reign between 1996 and 2001, marked by their violent repression of opponents and the ban on women working, studying or going out alone.
They have not officially reiterated these prohibitions since their return to power, but have so far limited the possibilities for women to work and for young girls to study.