Afghanistan

Over 140 unidentified bodies buried in Kabul

The Taliban-run Kabul municipality said it buried 144 unidentified bodies in a cemetery in Kabul on Saturday after the families could not be traced.

A Kabul municipality employee, Nematullah Barikzai, told Amu TV that they had collected the bodies over the past six months from around the city. Among those who were buried were drug addicts found under the Pul-e-Sokhta bridge in west Kabul.

He said Saturday’s burial took place at the Mos-hi cemetery in the city.

This however comes amid ongoing reports of mysterious assassinations and the disappearance of people, particularly former Afghan government employees, and military personnel, following the collapse of the republic government. In the past few weeks, the bodies of a number of people who had been arrested by the Taliban have been found across the country.

In the latest incident, the body of a former soldier was found in eastern Laghman province on Sunday, sources said. The victim was identified as Sabir Khan, a former local police force member and a resident of the Alingar district. Sabir Khan was detained by the Taliban four months ago and his body was found in the Noorlam valley.

Kabul municipality officials meanwhile said Saturday’s burial ceremony was carried out after the necessary permits were issued by the forensic medicine directorate and the interior ministry.

The employees of the Taliban-run Kabul municipality said that without identities, the graves have been numbered.