KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) in a report released on Thursday said Taliban militants committed “serious human rights violations” during their brief occupation of Kunduz City, the capital of northeastern Kunduz province.
The 18 page investigative report by the AIHRC is based on interviews with eyewitnesses, affected people, local influential individuals, hospital officials, human rights activists, provincial council members, security officials and others.
In its report, the AIHRC said it investigated the 15 days of violence that began on Oct 3 when Taliban militants first attacked and captured Kunduz City.
“Taliban militants executed target killings, caused civilian casualties, targeted non-governmental areas, committed sexual assaults, destruction, loot, used civilians as human shield, took them hostage, limited people’s access to essential items like water, food, health services, electricity, transport and etc and paved the ground for a massive jailbreak and forced people into fleeing the city,” the report said.
Except the bombardment of a Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, all other crimes committed in Kunduz City involved militants, it said.
The AIHRC report said such violations of human rights were war crimes under the international human rights law that demanded the perpetrators of such crimes to be brought to justice.
In its report, the human rights commission has provided its suggestions to the warring parties and asked the Taliban to respect human rights during their attacks or stop violence affecting innocent people.
The AIHRC also asked the Afghan government to deeply investigate crimes committed in Kunduz and address cases of human rights violations.
It asked the government to refer Taliban’s crimes to the international court of justice and human rights.
Approving a law to compensate the affected families was another suggestion by the AIHRC.
The commission also asked the Afghan government and foreign forces to investigate the US airstrike that hit MSF hospital and share the findings with the people.
Foreign forces were also suggested to observe human rights during their operations.
