WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2021) More than 20 countries, including the US, as well as the European Union, have expressed concern in a joint statement over allegations of crackdowns on former members of Afghan security forces.
"We are deeply concerned by reports of summary killings and enforced disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces as documented by Human Rights Watch and others," the joint statement, released by the US State Department on Saturday, says.
The statement issued by the governments of the US, 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, and Ukraine. It calls for a prompt and transparent investigation into the matter and preventive measures.
"We underline that the alleged actions constitute serious human rights abuses and contradict the Taliban's announced amnesty. We call on the Taliban (under UN sanctions over terrorist activities) to effectively enforce the amnesty for former members of the Afghan security forces and former Government officials to ensure that it is upheld across the country and throughout their ranks," the statement says.
Earlier this week, the United Nations called on the Taliban to uphold human rights after the Human Rights Watch reported that more than 100 former officials were allegedly summarily executed or forcibly disappeared since the takeover of power in Afghanistan.
After it seized power in August, the Taliban leadership announced that officials of the toppled Afghan government, including the armed forces, would be granted amnesty.
