KABUL (Tolo News): A watchdog reacted to two recent incidents that involve the mistreatment of remains of soldiers and fighters on battlefields in two Afghan districts, saying such incidents are a violation of the rules of war and must be prevented.
Footage released on social media this month showed 23 members of a special forces unit being shot by the Taliban in Faryab province after they were captured by the group. Other footage from this month shows a number of army forces mistreating bodies of Taliban fighters in Ghazni province. Amnesty International called on both sides of the war in Afghanistan to prevent such incidents.
“We call on them to follow the laws of war and to avoid violating international humanitarian law,” said Zaman Sultani, a researcher at Amnesty International. The Human Rights Organization meanwhile asked the Afghan government to bring cases to an impartial international organization so that perpetrators of war crimes receive justice.
“The committees on both sides of the war have not managed their fighting. It means that they don’t have the punishment and rewards culture in their war management,” said Lal Gul Lal, head of the organization. “It requires an appeal for justice because members of the human rights council of the United Nations should vote in this respect,” said Zabihullah Farhang, head of the media office of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. A lawmaker meanwhile said that government forces should not violate the rule of war.
“It affects the assistance of the international community, and it affects the image of the Afghan government. It can even be condemned at the UN,” said Abdul Rauf Inami, an MP. The Ministry of Defense said that any incident in which the rules of war are broken will be investigated. “The implementation of the country’s laws, laws of war, human rights and international norms are a top priority,” Defense Ministry spokesman Rohullah Ahmadzai said. “Anything that has happened will be investigated thoroughly and perpetrators will be treated based on the law.” Taliban denied any involvement in war crimes or violation of human rights.
