Rahmatullah Andra, former spokesperson for the National Security Council of Afghanistan’s former republic and a political analyst, has claimed in response to recent remarks by Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, that the Taliban have continued a campaign of retaliation and extrajudicial killings against members of the former Afghan security forces since taking power.
Andar stated that former military personnel, including those who possessed documentation confirming their inclusion under the Taliban’s declared general amnesty, were nevertheless not spared from surveillance, intimidation, and targeted killings. According to him, a large number of former soldiers were forced to leave the country due to security threats, while those who remain in Afghanistan continue to face discriminatory treatment.
He further alleged that more than 500 former security personnel were secretly killed during the first eighteen months of Taliban rule. Andar described these alleged killings as being in direct contradiction to the Taliban’s announcement of a general amnesty and characterized them as a serious violation of human rights.
Andar also criticized the Taliban administration, arguing that the country lacks a constitution and that revenues generated from Afghanistan’s natural resources are benefiting a limited circle of individuals rather than the broader population. He additionally expressed concerns regarding tax collection practices, the overall security situation, and cross-border attacks carried out by Pakistan.
He emphasized that criticizing and opposing government policies is a legitimate right of the people and added that efforts to raise public awareness and shed light on the realities of the situation would continue.
The Taliban government has not yet issued an official response to Andar’s remarks. However, Taliban authorities have consistently maintained that the general amnesty decree has been implemented and that they do not pursue a policy of retaliation against former government employees or members of the previous security forces.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
