UN Special Rapporteur Stresses on Necessity to Address War Crimes in Afghanistan

This most wanted list encompasses individuals operating across Afghanistan and in at least seven other countries.

The document, verified by the Taliban Intelligence Agency's "05" and "031" units, categorises the individuals into two distinct groups. The first group, consisting of 587 names, identifies those associated with armed groups like the NRF and the AFF, active in 28 Afghan provinces. The document also indicates that some of these individuals operate in Iran, Tajikistan, and other unspecified countries.

Laghman province is highlighted as a significant hub for these groups, with 98 individuals identified, followed by Panjshir with 78, Parwan with 45, and Baghlan with 36. The list also includes individuals from Kabul, Kapisa, Badakhshan, Herat, Samangan, Nuristan, Badghis, Ghor, and Balkh provinces, with each region reporting 12 to 32 alleged members.

The document further notes that fewer than ten individuals from each of the provinces of Maidan Wardak, Kandahar, Kunduz, Nangarhar, Sar-e Pol, Farah, Kunar, Logar, Ghazni, Khost, Daikundi, and Helmand are on the list. Additionally, nearly 40 individuals' activities are linked to Iran, Tajikistan, and locations outside Afghanistan.

The Taliban has labelled these individuals as either directly involved in "evil and corrupt" activities or as collaborators. The roles identified include leaders, financial officers, arms distributors, and secret allies.

The second part of the list targets 1,054 individuals purportedly affiliated with ISIS, especially the ISIS Khorasan group. Roles such as commanders, financial officers, communication officers, bomb transfer officers, and general members are specified. Furthermore, the list accuses some individuals of recruitment and propaganda efforts on social media for ISIS Khorasan.

Designations within ISIS include military base heads, intelligence coordinators, "Salafist" preachers, and trainers for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants.

The largest concentration of these alleged ISIS members is in Kunar province, with 296 individuals, followed by Nangarhar with 284, Laghman with 80, and Kabul with 67. The Taliban intelligence document also mentions Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Chechnya, Turkey, China, and Iran as additional operational regions for over 80 members of the ISIS Khorasan group.

Mujahid clarified that the Taliban has made no commitments to anyone regarding such a government setup.

Mujahid responded to Hekmatyar's claims, urging caution in making unverified statements. Hekmatyar, the leader of the Hizb-e-Islami party, previously stated that the US proposed a list and requested the Taliban to form an inclusive government as part of the Doha agreement and warned of supporting opposition groups if the Taliban failed to comply.

A source told Afghanistan International that the US's proposed list for an "inclusive government" was discussed in Taliban's cabinet meetings. Hekmatyar, in a virtual party meeting in Kabul, noted a shift in the US's tone and stance towards Afghanistan and inferred the involvement of strategically interested countries in recent anti-Taliban meetings in Moscow, Dushanbe, Vienna, and other locations.

These gatherings, including those led by the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan under Ahmad Massoud, seem to have bolstered the unity among Taliban opponents. Massoud hailed the recent Vienna meeting's outcomes as significant. At this meeting, Fazl Ahmad Manawi, ex-Justice Minister and National Resistance Front senior member, discussed agreements on a "roadmap" to resolve the Afghan crisis. The Vienna meeting saw participation from leaders of 29 Afghan political groups and representatives from Western countries, including the US, the UK, Austria, Germany, Spain, and Norway.

In an interview with Iranian Jamaran Media, Mohaqiq criticised the Taliban for failing to provide security to these communities and suggested their possible involvement in the violence.

Mohaqiq highlighted a book by Noor Mohammad Islamjar, Taliban’s governor for Herat, which labels Shias as a "takfiri sect" and associates them with infidels, exacerbating sectarian tensions. He questioned the Taliban's claim of protecting Shias and Hazaras, pointing out the systematic assassinations of Shia religious scholars without any consequent prosecutions.

The recent attack in the Jebrael area of Herat, which resulted in the death of six individuals including two Shia clerics, was cited as an example of the ongoing violence. The incident sparked protests in Herat, with residents demanding justice for the targeted killings of Hazaras and Shias.

Mohaqiq dismissed the likelihood of other terrorist groups like ISIS, TTP, and Jamaat Ansarullah of Tajikistan, being behind these attacks. He asserted that the current climate in Afghanistan is marked by ethnic and religious discrimination, leaving Shias and Hazaras vulnerable and defenceless.

In a letter to the US Congress, Biden said that US forces in the region are ready to respond to "possible threats" from Afghanistan.

He also informed the House of Representatives about the deployment of US forces in the region through the letter.

The first country mentioned in Joe Biden's letter is Afghanistan. “United States military personnel remain postured outside Afghanistan to address threats to the United States homeland and United States interests that may arise from inside Afghanistan,” he said.

The US president has stated that anti-terrorism operations conducted by the United States in Syria and Iraq have weakened the capabilities of ISIS in these countries.

The letter states that it is currently not possible to determine the scope and duration of the deployment of US forces in the region. However, he emphasised that, if necessary, he will take additional measures “to protect the people and interests of the United States”.

Biden also mentioned about the deployment of the US Army in the Arabian Peninsula, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, South Africa, Cuba and the Philippines.

Over two years following the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, concerns persist regarding the activities of terrorist groups in the region.

Several countries, particularly in Central Asia, have consistently warned about the escalation of terrorist group activities in Afghanistan.

US State Department, in its annual report for 2022 which was published this month, said that Afghanistan's neighbours are concerned about possible terrorist threats from Afghanistan.

It also added that despite the Taliban's commitment not to permit Afghanistan's soil to be used against other countries, the group continued to provide shelter to terrorist organisations.

However, Taliban officials claim that Afghanistan is not a security threat to other countries and that the group has suppressed groups such as ISIS.

The organisation highlighted the cases of Zholia Parsi, Neda Parwani, Manizha Seddiqi, and Parisa Azada, who are currently being held without legal representation and are denied regular contact with their families.

In a recent statement, Amnesty International detailed the lack of access to lawyers and medical care for these women, raising concerns about the potential for torture and other forms of mistreatment. The statement, addressed to Abdul Haq Wasiq, the head of Taliban's intelligence agency, emphasised the need for improved detention conditions in line with international standards, including access to legal counsel and family visitation rights.

This plea from Amnesty International comes in the wake of a report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which documented around 800 instances of human rights abuses, including torture, in Taliban prisons from January 2022 to July 2023, out of a total of 1,600 recorded cases.

Furthermore, Amnesty International reported that women participating in protests have faced verbal abuse, harassment, and threats from Taliban forces. The organisation also noted the arbitrary detention of journalists covering these protests and the targeting of protestors' family members, further underscoring the widespread human rights violations under the current regime.

Amnesty International stressed that these detentions are in direct violation of international human rights laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Afghanistan is a signatory. The organisation continues to advocate for the protection of human rights in Afghanistan, especially for women and those standing up for these rights.