UN: Taliban Intensifying Efforts to Identify Local Staff

According to United Nations reports, the Taliban has increased the search and persecution of local employees who collaborated with American and NATO forces. Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries have demanded that the Taliban guarantee the safe departure of Afghan local colleagues.

Based on a recent report released by the United Nations, the Taliban is intensifying its efforts to identify Afghan citizens who have collaborated with American and NATO forces.

In a confidential document received by the French news agency on Thursday, August 19, the Taliban is said to have compiled a “priority list” of individuals it wants to arrest.

According to the UN report, the lives of those who played key roles in Afghanistan’s army, police, and secret services are also at risk.

The Taliban is reportedly conducting house searches of targeted individuals. The group has also set up checkpoints on roads leading to Kabul Airport to verify the identities of people.

This report was prepared by a Norwegian non-governmental organization that assesses incidents for various UN bodies.

Christian Nellemann, the director of this organization, stated that there are concerns that Afghans who collaborated with NATO and American forces may become victims of “torture and execution.”

Deutsche Welle also reported on Thursday, August 19, about an attack on the family of one of the Afghan staff members.

The Deutsche Welle correspondent is currently working in Germany, but his relatives in Afghanistan have been attacked. In this attack, one person was killed and another was seriously wounded.

Group of Seven Demands Taliban Guarantee Safe Departure of Local Staff

Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven also demanded on Thursday, August 19, that the Taliban guarantee the security of individuals wishing to leave the country, whether they are foreign nationals or Afghans.

Dominic Raab, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, speaking on behalf of the Group of Seven countries, demanded that the Taliban guarantee the safe departure of all individuals wishing to leave the country.

The Taliban’s rise to power has alarmed thousands of Afghan citizens, including staff of the former Afghan government and local employees of foreign countries, leading many to leave the country or attempt to flee Afghanistan.

The U.S. military reported the transfer of seven thousand people in just the past few days, stating that in total more than 30,000 American citizens and non-military Afghans need to be relocated to safe locations.

According to American officials, currently 5,200 soldiers of this country are stationed to secure Kabul Airport.

Source: DW