Hazara-Shia Cleric Criticises Taliban's Mistreatment Of Shia Community

However, the department added that there is no evidence of targeting local collaborators of Americans in Afghanistan.

The US State Department's media office, through an email sent a response to Afghanistan International's inquiry, emphasising that the department is deeply concerned about the killings and disappearances of members of the former Afghan security forces.

The US State Department, referring to a recent United Nations report on the killing of former military personnel by the Taliban, told Afghanistan International that Taliban members committed retaliatory killings and that the group has also been involved in disappearances of members of the former government's security forces in the months after entering Kabul.

The US State Department added in the note that the Taliban, after coming to power, promised a "general amnesty" and should remain committed to it.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, there have occasionally been reports of the group's retaliation against former members of the Afghan security forces. The Taliban has always denied these reports.

However, the US State Department wrote in its note that there is no evidence that the Taliban specifically targeted those who collaborated with Americans in Afghanistan.

The department added in its note that the relocation and transfer operations for those Afghan citizens who qualify for legal immigration to the US are ongoing.

The department also said that responsible units have increased their capacity to expedite the transfer process and are trying to solve the problem of prolonged review times for their applications.

After the withdrawal of US forces in the summer of 2021, tens of thousands of Afghan citizens who collaborated with the US military and civilian agencies in Afghanistan were put at risk.

The US relocated more than 70,000 of these individuals in a special operation from Afghanistan to regional countries and then to the US. The relocation programme is still ongoing.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced in a report in August that despite the Taliban's general amnesty, over the past two years, 800 human rights violations against former security forces’ members have been recorded.

UNAMA reported at least 218 killings of former government officials and members of the former security forces’ members by the Taliban, none of whom have been arrested.

In the UK government's statement, while highlighting the potential risk of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, it has been noted that Kabul's airport does not meet international safety standards.

The country has particularly warned of the risk of terrorist attacks near religious sites and during religious ceremonies and holidays.

The statement emphasised that travel to Afghanistan is "extremely dangerous”, and there is also a risk of British citizens being arrested.

The UK stressed that if British nationals are detained in Afghanistan, London may not be aware of their situation as there are significant challenges regarding consular communication.

According to the ministry, both parties emphasised on their countries' commitment to assisting in establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan announced that the meeting took place on Friday and Qureshi and Yue Xiaoyong stressed on the need to increase coordination to ensure regional stability.

The ministry added that both sides also emphasised on the vital role of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries in achieving peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

According to Shoja, the stash was hidden inside a lorry that was identified as it entered Iran from Afghanistan.

As per ISNA's Friday report quoting Shoja, the narcotics were ingeniously concealed in the lorry’s floor by "skilled smugglers."

Shoja further mentioned that both the lorry and the individual involved in drug trafficking, along with the confiscated drugs, have been handed over to the Iranian judicial authorities.

The increase in executions within the Islamic Republic of Iran’s prisons has sparked concerns amongst human rights groups. These organisations have identified that amongst those executed are political detainees and individuals accused of drug trafficking.

Additionally, there have been media reports about the execution of Afghan nationals in the Islamic Republic's prisons.

An embassy spokesperson informed Afghanistan International that the US position on Afghanistan remains consistent, with no immediate plans to recommence diplomatic operations in Kabul.

Earlier, Voice of America's English division reported that the US was tentatively exploring the option of reopening its consulate in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, without formally recognising the regime. According to this report, the consideration was mentioned in a recent strategic document by the US State Department.

The report had indicated that such a move could signal a potential alteration in US strategy for engaging with the Taliban, aimed at fulfilling multiple security, political, and economic goals.

Nonetheless, the US Embassy in Doha emphasised to Afghanistan International that there has been no alteration in the United States' approach towards Taliban-governed Afghanistan.