The Dark Reality Of Americans In Afghanistan: Executions And Uncertain Fate

There is no clear evidence that Americans are being executed in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban's return to power in 2021 has brought back public executions in the country. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has warned that the Taliban may be executing surrendering Afghan troops, which could amount to war crimes. There have also been reports of the Taliban executing males, including children, in the street. The Taliban has denied carrying out killings and disappearances, but evidence suggests that senior Taliban leadership is involved in summary executions and disappearances. The U.S. and its NATO allies have withdrawn from Afghanistan, and the Taliban now controls a significant portion of the country, raising concerns about the safety of Americans and Afghans who worked with U.S. forces.

Executions of US-aligned Afghan troops by the Taliban

The Taliban's execution of US-aligned Afghan troops and its broader human rights abuses have been widely reported and condemned by the international community.

Executions of US-aligned Afghan troops

There is evidence that the Taliban has executed US-aligned Afghan troops, particularly those who surrendered. In August 2021, the US Embassy in Kabul reported receiving "additional reports" of the Taliban executing surrendering Afghan troops, which it described as "deeply disturbing" and stated that the acts "could constitute war crimes". CNN obtained and verified footage from July 2021 of Taliban fighters executing 22 Afghan commandos as they attempted to surrender in Dawlat Abad, Faryab province. The commandos were members of an Afghan Special Forces unit and were shot dead amid cries of "Allahu Akhbar" (God is Great). The Taliban denied the executions, but Amnesty International's South Asia Campaigner, Samira Hamidi, stated that the "evidence suggests that the Taliban's persistent claims to have changed their ways are predicated on a lie".

In addition to the above incident, there are further reports of Taliban executions of US-aligned Afghan troops. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported in August 2021 that Taliban forces in Ghazni, Kandahar, and other provinces had executed detained soldiers, police officers, and civilians believed to have ties to the Afghan government. HRW also documented the summary execution or enforced disappearance of 47 former members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) between August 15 and October 31, 2021. These abuses included the killing of former security force members in front of their families and the enforced disappearance of others, leaving their families with no information about their whereabouts.

Human rights abuses by the Taliban

The Taliban's human rights abuses extend beyond the execution of US-aligned Afghan troops. In December 2022, the Taliban carried out the first public execution since it seized power in 2021, hanging a man convicted of murder in a crowded sports stadium in southwestern Farah Province. Under Taliban rule, people could be publicly executed for adultery or have limbs amputated for theft. Girls have been discouraged from attending school, and music and dancing have been banned. The United Nations has reported that at least 1,000 civilians were killed in a one-month period, and thousands of families have been displaced due to the fighting.

International response

The international community has widely condemned the Taliban's human rights abuses, including the execution of US-aligned Afghan troops. These acts have been described as "war crimes" by the US Embassy in Kabul, HRW, and Amnesty International. The United States and its NATO allies have urged Americans and US allies to evacuate Afghanistan, and the US State Department has begun reducing staff levels at the US Embassy in Kabul due to the "evolving security situation". The Taliban has denied the execution reports, stating that the accusations are ""fictitious" and that footage of the incidents has been fabricated.

Public executions in Afghanistan

Public executions have existed throughout Afghanistan's history. They have continued since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

The Taliban's first confirmed public execution took place in December 2022 in the western province of Farah. A man convicted of murder was executed with an assault rifle by the victim's father in front of hundreds of spectators and more than a dozen senior Taliban officials.

The second confirmed public execution was carried out in June 2023 in the eastern province of Laghman. A man identified as Ajmal from the capital Kabul was found guilty of murdering five people and was put to death with an assault rifle by the son of one of his victims. The execution took place outside a mosque and was witnessed by relatives of the other victims.

The United Nations has strongly criticized the Taliban for carrying out public executions, floggings, and stonings since seizing power, and has called on the country's rulers to halt such practices. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reported in May 2023 that more than 300 people had been publicly flogged in six months, and it urged an end to the practice and the use of the death penalty.

In addition to public executions, there have also been reports of the Taliban executing surrendering Afghan troops and civilians, which could amount to war crimes according to the US Embassy in Kabul and US officials. There have been allegations of the Taliban detaining and executing individuals who worked with the US and the previous Afghan government, as well as targeting children. However, the Taliban has denied these reports.

War crimes committed by the Taliban

While it is unclear if Americans are being executed in Afghanistan, the Taliban has been accused of committing war crimes in the country.

In August 2021, the US Embassy in Kabul warned that the Taliban was executing surrendering Afghan troops, which could amount to war crimes. The Embassy urged Americans to evacuate Afghanistan immediately, as the capital could fall to the Taliban within weeks.

Indeed, the Taliban has been accused of executing surrendering troops and committing other atrocities that violate international humanitarian law. These include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment.

In July 2021, Human Rights Watch reported that the Taliban had taken control of districts in Kandahar province and detained hundreds of residents accused of association with the government. The Taliban reportedly killed some detainees, including relatives of government officials and members of the police and army. Local media reported that the Taliban had taken over 300 people into custody and detained them in unidentified locations.

The Taliban has also been accused of forcibly displacing civilians and burning homes in apparent retaliation for cooperating with the Afghan government. In June 2021, residents of Bagh-e Sherkat in Kunduz province reported that the Taliban ordered them to evacuate and threatened those who had provided support to the government. The Taliban fighters looted and burned down homes, despite claiming that people were ordered to leave for their safety.

In addition, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls, eroding their freedom of movement, expression, employment opportunities, and access to education and healthcare. These restrictions have been deemed to amount to gender persecution and gender apartheid, with Afghanistan being the only country that bans women from working for international organizations.

The Taliban has also targeted journalists, civil servants, human rights defenders, and those affiliated with the former Afghan government. There have been arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and unlawful detentions of individuals expressing views critical of the Taliban, particularly on social media.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating allegations of war crimes and serious human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict, including the Taliban. The US does not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction over its citizens, but the court has ruled that an investigation into alleged war crimes by the US and others in the Afghan conflict can proceed.

The US Embassy's response to the situation

The US Embassy in Kabul has responded to the situation by urging Americans to evacuate Afghanistan immediately. The Embassy has also issued warnings about the Taliban's execution of surrendering Afghan troops, which could amount to war crimes. The State Department has started reducing staff levels at the Embassy due to security concerns and the Pentagon will temporarily deploy additional personnel to Hamid Karzai International Airport to facilitate this. The Embassy has advised Americans that its ability to assist them in Afghanistan is extremely limited, even within Kabul. They have also encouraged Americans in the country to enroll in their emergency notification system in case of future official evacuation flights.

The US Embassy in Kabul has expressed deep concern over reports of Taliban executions of surrendering Afghan troops, stating that these actions are "deeply disturbing" and "could constitute war crimes". The Embassy has urged the Taliban to respect Afghanistan's human rights gains of the last 20 years.

The US government has also warned that the Taliban's fighters are committing atrocities and that the group is detaining members of the Afghan government, including civilian leaders and officers of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. These actions contradict the Taliban's claims to support a negotiated settlement and their own rhetoric regarding the safety of Afghan leaders and troops.

The Biden administration has been criticised for engaging in negotiations with the Taliban and for not taking stronger action to punish the group for their reported atrocities. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described the reported atrocities as "deeply, deeply troubling".

The US government's response to the situation

The US government has responded to the situation in Afghanistan in several ways. Firstly, the US Embassy in Kabul has urged Americans to evacuate Afghanistan immediately. The Pentagon has also temporarily deployed additional personnel to Hamid Karzai International Airport to facilitate the departure of US Embassy staff.

The US government has also issued warnings about the Taliban's actions, with US officials stating that the Taliban's execution of surrendering troops could amount to war crimes. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described the reported atrocities as "deeply, deeply troubling". The US Embassy in Kabul has also stated that the reported executions are "deeply disturbing" and "could constitute war crimes".

In addition, the US government has taken steps to help evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from Afghanistan. President Joe Biden authorized the deployment of 6,000 troops to Kabul to secure the airport and facilitate evacuations. Over 120,000 people, including Americans, Afghan allies, and citizens of partner nations, were evacuated from Afghanistan with the help of the US military, diplomats, and intelligence professionals.

However, the US government has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with some arguing that the evacuation efforts could have been better organized and that the Biden administration should have done more to help those left behind. There have also been calls for the Biden administration to create an expedited process for evacuating Afghan allies and their families.

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