The Taliban’s supreme leader has ordered fighters not to punish members of Afghanistan’s former regime for past “crimes”, days after a video of an Army commander being beaten went viral on social media.
The order, tweeted on Thursday by group spokesman Mohammad Naeem, also urged Taliban authorities to discourage Afghans from leaving the country as they would not be respected abroad.
“Don’t punish employees of the previous regime for their past crimes,” Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada was quoted as telling followers in Kandahar. The Taliban chief — who has not been filmed or photographed in public for years — said a general amnesty announced in August should be honoured.
The Taliban are accused by the UN, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch of dozens of extrajudicial killings of members of the former security forces and administration.
