Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis: UN report exposes Taliban’s reign of terror

By Zeshan Ali Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: In a report released on April 29, 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) shed light on the deepening human rights crisis in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control.
The report paints a grim picture of widespread physical, mental, and sexual exploitation endured by the Afghan people under Taliban rule.
The violations of international humanitarian law have escalated, with instances of extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions becoming alarmingly common.
Former members of the Afghanistan National Security Forces have borne the brunt of the Taliban’s wrath, with an estimated 800 personnel killed.
But it’s not just security personnel; the Taliban’s brutal tactics spare no one, targeting government officials, journalists, activists, and minority communities alike.
The UN documented over 1,600 cases of human rights abuses between January 2022 and July 2023, including more than 43 instances of corporal punishment. Shockingly, even children have not been spared, with reports of minors subjected to floggings.
Press freedom has been severely curtailed, with over 200 cases of violations recorded since August 2021, including detentions, physical violence, and arrests of journalists.
The Taliban’s dismantling of legal institutions and imposition of their own judges have further eroded the country’s already fragile judicial system.
The Taliban’s policies have plunged Afghanistan into economic turmoil, with over half the population living below the poverty line and millions facing food and water shortages.
Despite urgent humanitarian needs, the Taliban has diverted resources to terrorist activities, exacerbating the suffering of ordinary Afghans.
Education has become a casualty of Taliban rule, with restrictions on women and girls’ access to schooling beyond the sixth grade. NGOs providing educational programs have been banned, depriving thousands of Afghan children of learning opportunities.
The plight of women and girls under Taliban rule is particularly dire, with forced marriages, bans on women’s employment, and a collapsed healthcare system leading to increased suicides among Afghan girls.
Minority communities, such as the Hazara, continue to face persecution, displacement, and targeted killings, with hundreds killed and injured under Taliban rule.
Despite repeated calls from the international community, the Taliban have shown no willingness to address the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan, leaving millions of Afghans in desperate need of assistance and protection.