Family members of victims of last month’s Taliban attack in Sewak-Shibar village of Afghanistan’s central Daikundi province have staged a sit-in protest outside the Taliban’s provincial intelligence directorate compound for the past four days.
According to sources, the protesters are demanding justice and the release of six of their loved ones who were arrested after the Taliban raided a house in the village last month, leaving several members of two families dead.
As many as 18 people including women and children participated in the sit-in.
According to the sources, the Taliban treated protesters violently and seized and broke a number of phones belonging to the demonstrators after they tried to take photos and videos of their protest action.
This comes after Taliban forces raided a house in Sewak-Shibar village on November 24 and killed eight family members, including three children, of Hashim Khan and Mohammad Dad Jafari.
The Taliban also detained six others, including Ahsan and Rahman, Hashim Khan’s sons; Bashir Haidari, Mahmood Haidari, Younus Tawakuli, and Mohammad Rezai – relatives of the victims, during the attack.
Reaction
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett recently called for an immediate “independent and transparent” investigation in this regard.
“Following with concern reports of killings allegedly by Taliban forces of members of two Hazara families in Daikundi Province on 24 November, including a woman and three children. An immediate independent & transparent investigation is essential,” Bennett said in a tweet.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also stated that it was working to establish facts relating to the incident.
“Very serious reports of civilian casualties, with extrajudicial killings, at least 8 fatalities, including children,” UNAMA said in a statement adding that “UNAMA has engaged the Taliban on the need for credible investigation and accountability.”
Condemning the attack, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) stated that four boys – aged between 1 and 14 – were killed in the attack.
Every boy and girl in Afghanistan must be allowed to live in peace and in an environment in which they can thrive and fulfill their potential, UNICEF stated.
Taliban’s response
The Taliban claimed the raid was carried out on a “rebel” hideout and that its forces opened fire after the “rebels” refused to lay down their weapons. The Taliban’s Interior Ministry said in a statement that all the victims were armed.
The statement also rejected claims that children were killed.
