According to research by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), at least 218 former Afghan government officials and members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) were subjected to extrajudicial killings between the Taliban takeover in August 2021 and June 2023.
The figures were documented despite the Taliban announcing a general amnesty for former government officials and security personnel after taking control of Afghanistan in August 2021. UNAMA reported that, alongside the killings, hundreds of other human rights violations were documented, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment.
UNAMA’s findings indicate that the majority of the recorded violations occurred during the first four months following the Taliban takeover, from August through December 2021. However, violations continued in subsequent years, with UNAMA recording 70 extrajudicial killings during 2022 alone.
The documented cases have raised concerns over the implementation of the Taliban’s general amnesty and accountability for violations against former members of the Afghan government and security forces.
The findings also highlight the continued vulnerability of former ANDSF personnel and government officials, many of whom have reportedly faced detention, threats and other forms of abuse.