In order to dissolve peaceful protests against their rule, the radical Islamists used sticks, whips and live ammunition, said the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva on Friday. At least four demonstrators were killed. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres meanwhile spoke out in favor of talks with the Taliban.
The UN Human Rights Bureau has reports of house searches looking for protesters. Taliban prisoners were beaten and some threatened with beheading. Press representatives would also be intimidated.
“Solidarity with the Afghan People”
“We have to conduct a dialogue with the Taliban in which we directly affirm our principles,” Guterres said in an interview. It is about “solidarity with the Afghan people”. In any case, an economic collapse in Afghanistan must be prevented. The population is already suffering enormously. “Millions upon millions are threatened with starvation,” warned the Portuguese. He did not speak out in favor of withdrawing international sanctions against Taliban rule or releasing frozen Afghan government funds abroad. But certain “financial instruments” could help to keep the country afloat and “give air” to the economy.
Concern at Schallenberg
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) expressed concern about the new Taliban government. It is “worrying when you have the feeling that the Taliban turn wrong at the first fork in the road. There can be no talk of an inclusive government here,” said Schallenberg in an interview with the “Standard” (Friday). The Foreign Minister described UN reports of serious human rights violations such as executions in Afghanistan as “alarming”.
The Taliban had taken power in mid-August and initially publicly tried to be more moderate. On Tuesday they presented a transitional government, about the composition of which Germany and the USA expressed concern. Mullah Hassan Akhund was appointed as the incumbent head of government. He was a close companion of Mullah Omar, one of the founders of the Taliban and head of state during the first, brutal Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. The post of interior minister was given to Sirajuddin Haqqani. He is said to have been involved in suicide attacks and to have close contacts with the extremist network Al Qaeda.
Meanwhile, a second Qatar Airways passenger flight landed in Kabul on Friday. As the TV broadcaster CNN reported, citing television images from the Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera, relief supplies had been unloaded. It is unclear whether passengers can leave the country on the same flight. On Thursday, the first international passenger flight from Kabul took off since the end of the chaotic military evacuation flights for foreigners and vulnerable Afghans at the end of August.
As part of this first evacuation flight on Thursday, more than 100 foreign nationals were flown out, according to CNN. The flight was organized with the help of the government of Qatar.
The German international broadcaster DW (Deutsche Welle) managed to evacuate ten employees by land to Pakistan. Nine correspondents and the only DW correspondent in Afghanistan were able to travel to Pakistan with their families on Thursday, as the German international broadcaster announced on Friday. The evacuation by air was not successful. After several failed attempts, the possibility of getting the group of 72 people out of the country by another route was examined.
