Over 100 former Afghan government officials, troops slain since Taliban have seized control: UN

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Since President Joe Biden’s shameful withdrawal from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul in August 2021, more than 100 American allies who were left behind — including officials in the former government, troops, and those who worked side-by-side with coalition forces — have been murdered by the Taliban.

This was the sobering message of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered to the Security Council, in a report obtained by the Associated Press.

“More than two-thirds” of those slain were the result of extrajudicial killings by the militant terrorists or its affiliates.

And the U.N. has also learned “of enforced disappearances and other violations impacting the right to life and physical integrity” of former government and coalition members.

The “credible allegations” came, despite the Taliban’s promise that those very people would be safe from harm when they seized control of the war-torn country.

And the horror continued.

More “credible allegations” were made regarding the extrajudicial killings of at least 50 individuals suspected of ties with the Islamic State terrorist group, ISIL-KP,’ which is now operating in Afghanistan.

“As I appeal to the international community to step up support for the people of Afghanistan, I make an equally urgent plea to the Taliban leadership to recognize and protect the fundamental human rights that every person shares,” said Guterres in a speech given last week to the U.N. Security Council.

Not surprising to anyone, the Taliban isn’t big on human rights.

Human rights defenders and members of the media continue “to come under attack, intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment and killings,” said Guterres.

Guterres said that “eight civil society activists were killed, including three by the Taliban and three by Islamic State extremists, and 10 were subjected to temporary arrests, beatings and threats by the Taliban,” the AP reported, and two journalists lost their lives.

The Taliban swept into Kabul on August 15, and were met with zero resistance. They soon set up shop and a Twitter account and attempted to portray themselves as a kinder, gentler Taliban, with promises of tolerance and inclusivity for the terrified women and ethnic minorities they had conquered.

But the “woke” wore off quickly, as the Taliban imposed renewed restrictions on women and appointed an all-male government.

“The situation in Afghanistan remains precarious and uncertain six months after the Taliban takeover as the multiple political, socio-economic and humanitarian shocks reverberate across the country,” Guterres said.

“An estimated 22.8 million people are projected to be in `crisis’ and `emergency’ levels of food insecurity until March 2022,” Guterres said. “Almost 9 million of these will be at `emergency’ levels of food insecurity -– the highest number in the world. Half of all children under five are facing acute malnutrition.”

If only it weren’t all so tragically predictable…

Melissa Fine

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