*EPF503 11/02/01
Fact Sheet: Taliban Actions Imperil Afghan Civilians
(Looting humanitarian aid, forced conscription of young Afghans) (930)
(begin fact sheet)
The Taliban are deliberately putting Afghan civilians in great danger. Recent actions by the Taliban in Afghanistan have disrupted delivery of humanitarian food supplies, and have transformed civilian neighborhoods into military targets, by hiding military personnel and equipment in civilian areas, including in mosques. The Taliban have harassed humanitarian NGOs and UN agencies, looted UN World Food Program offices, and seized food and fuel stores, vehicles, communication equipment and humanitarian supplies. And the Taliban have engaged in forced conscription of young boys.
This fact sheet summarizes documented abuses committed by the Taliban against Afghan civilians in recent weeks.
TALIBAN LOOTING OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
Incidents of Taliban looting humanitarian assistance are on the rise, according to NGOs and press reports.
-- October 7: Armed Taliban entered the compound in Kabul of an NGO engaged in demining operations. Staff members were beaten, and the Taliban broke some of the locks on the vehicles, but did not take them. (Source: Human Rights Watch)
-- October 8: Armed Taliban entered the compound of the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Mazar-i-Sharif, and looted communications equipment. (Source: Human Rights Watch)
-- Oct. 8: Armed Taliban entered the compound of a demining NGO in Kandahar and demanded vehicles. Staff who resisted were beaten. The Taliban left with seven ambulances, seven pick-up trucks, and six cargo trucks from the compound. (Source: Human Rights Watch)
-- Sept. 26-Oct. 15: Another demining agency working in Kandahar told Human Rights Watch that they had 35 vehicles confiscated by the Taliban between September 26 and October 15. The Taliban looted the offices of the agency, taking spare parts, generators, radios, and the personal assets of the demining workers. (Source: Human Rights Watch)
-- Oct. 16: The Taliban took over UN World Food Program (WFP) warehouses in Kabul and Kandahar, seizing a total of 7000 tons of food. While the Kabul warehouse was returned to WFP, the Taliban still control the Kandahar warehouse, and have prevented Afghan staff from distributing food. The WFP in Kandahar had been feeding 150,000 Afghans a month. The WFP says it has received reports that 1600 tons of food and several vehicles have since disappeared from the Kandahar warehouse. (Source: World Food Program)
-- Oct. 16: The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan reported that its compound in Taliban-controlled Mazar-i-Sharif was seized on October 16, with fuel stores set ablaze by the Taliban. (Source: Human Rights Watch)
-- Oct. 17: The Taliban occupied an office and warehouse in Kunduz of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The warehouse was stocked with winter clothing, shoes and blankets to be distributed to internally displaced persons in the region. (Source: IOM)
-- Oct. 18: Taliban soldiers seized the Mercy Corps International Office in Kandahar, and remain in possession of the office and MCI vehicles. (Source: Mercy Corps)
-- Oct. 31: The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) offices in Spin Boldak were taken over by Taliban soldiers. (Source: UNHCR)
TALIBAN USE AFGHAN CIVILIANS TO HIDE THEIR SOLDIERS AND EQUIPMENT
The Taliban have put the Afghan civilian population in grave danger by deliberately hiding their soldiers and equipment in civilian areas, including in mosques.
-- An Afghan refugee recently arrived in Pakistan from Kabul said, "Now the Taliban are taking their guns to the residential areas, and when they fire at the [American] planes, the planes see them and drop bombs on them. That's when the innocent people die." (As reported in the Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 30)
-- Refugees from Kabul report that some Taliban are taking over private homes in order to avoid their barracks and reduce the risk of being bombed. These refugees also say the Taliban are storing weapons in mosques and schools. (As reported in the Washington Post and the Baltimore Sun, Oct. 24)
-- The Taliban park their vehicles among the taxis at the central bus station in Kabul by day, and sleep in nearby hotels by night. (As reported in the New York Times, Oct. 26)
-- The spokesman for the Department of Defense, Navy Rear Admiral Stufflebeem, said on October 24: "The Taliban regime has been moving troops and equipment and perhaps its leaders into civilian areas. The reports indicate that troops and equipment are being housed in mosques and schools to shield them from the U.S. bombardment...."
FORCED CONSCRIPTION OF YOUNG AFGHANS BY THE TALIBAN
Refugees from Afghanistan arriving in Pakistan in recent days report that the Taliban are forcibly conscripting young men and boys. Some refugees name forced conscription as their reason for fleeing. In addition, there are reports that Taliban forced conscription is also taking place in a refugee camp inside the Afghan border.
-- A 20-year old male refugee from Taloqan, newly arrived in a refugee camp in Pakistan, said: "We came three days ago.... The Taliban came collecting young boys for the front line, after the American bombs. My mother was afraid. They are telling everyone, very young boys, they must come to fight, defend our country against America. I did not want to fight against America." (As reported by the Washington Post, October 30)
-- There were reports from Mazar-i-Sharif that the Taliban were forcibly conscripting young men, setting a quota of two men per neighborhood, and heavily fining those who refused. (As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Oct. 30)
-- Many of the refugees crossing into Pakistan at Chaman over the past few weeks have told the UNHCR that they fear being forced to fight for the Taliban. There are consistent reports of forced conscription. (As reported by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees)
(end fact sheet)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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