Taliban Supreme Chief Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered his troops not to “punish” former Afghan government officials after several human rights organizations accused the Islamist regime of violence and summary executions.
“Respect my amnesty and do not punish the employees of the previous regime for their crimes in the past,” he said, quoted on Twitter on Thursday by a spokesman for the radical group, Mohammad Naeem.
According to Naeem, the mullah, who has not been seen in public, filmed or photographed for years, spoke Wednesday night in front of Afghan officials in Kandahar (south), a Taliban stronghold.
These statements come after the appearance of a video widely shared on social networks where two Taliban fighters are seen beating up a former army officer.
The Islamic emirate (the name that the Taliban have given their regime) indicated that one of the soldiers would be punished.
Upon coming to power in mid-August, the Taliban decreed a general amnesty. But despite the promise, the UN and NGOs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have reported “credible allegations” of summary executions and enforced disappearances of more than 100 former police officers and intelligence agents.
Several dozen Afghan women demonstrated in Kabul on Tuesday to call for their rights to be respected and for an end to “killings” of members of the old government, before being quickly disbanded by the Taliban.
In his speech, Hibatullah Akhundzada also called on local authorities and tribal leaders to ensure that Afghans do not want to leave the country.
“Afghans are not respected in other countries, so no Afghan should go out.”
Thousands are trying to leave, fleeing the new regime and the growing humanitarian crisis in the country, deprived of international aid since the Taliban came to power and the withdrawal of NATO troops.