The Islamic Emirate has "killed or disappeared "more than 100 Afghan former security members" in four provinces including Kandahar, Helmand, Ghazni and Kunduz in less than three months since taking control of Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in new report.

The HRW conducted the research between August 15 to October 3, 2021, and interviewed at least 67 persons who are mostly in the mentioned provinces.

“The Taliban leadership’s promised amnesty has not stopped local commanders from summarily executing or disappearing former Afghan security force members,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director of the Human Rights Watch. “The burden is on the Taliban to prevent further killings, hold those responsible to account, and compensate the victims’ families.”  

The report added that Taliban leadership has directed former security members to surrender and receive a letter that can guarantee their safety under the amnesty program, and so using this strategy the Taliban identified Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) members.

“If someone misuses the Islamic Emirate’s name and does this, the perpetrators of such cases should be  identified and be punished,” said Sadeq Shinwari, a military expert.

Human Rights Watch asked the Islamic Emirate to give up such revenge killings, but the Islamic Emirate Ministry of Interior is denying the claims of the report.

“We reject this report, if they own documents proving the issue they can share them with us so we can arrest and legally act against the criminals. The Islamic Emirate never chased or killed former security forces. Some former military forces may have lost lives as a result of personal hostility,” said Saeed Khosti, MoI spokesman.

The report further said the United Nations should maintain and fully implement its mandate to investigate human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan.

At the same time, several former military force members who have been disabled by the conflict between the former government and the Islamic Emirate voiced optimism about the future, saying that war has ended in Afghanistan.

“We are so happy, the war is finished. The Islamic Emirate took control, and a peaceful situation has been provided,” said Yousef Gul, a former military forces member. 

He urged the Islamic Emirate to provide more security for the people, whether they had served in the former government forces or not.