As the Taleban's spring offensive intensifies, civilians are increasingly facing suicide attacks, abductions and beheadings. The attacks on civilians by the Taleban are widespread and systematic and are used to instil fear and exert control over the local population, according to an Amnesty International report released today.
"Afghan civilians are bearing the brunt of this conflict. They are caught in the fighting between the Taleban, Afghan government forces, US forces and forces from other NATO countries", said Claudio Cordone, Senior Director for Research at Amnesty International.
"But it is the Taleban who have a deliberate policy of targeting civilians -- they are killing teachers, abducting aid workers and burning school buildings."
The Taleban's military rulebook, or Laheya, explicitly sanctions targeting and killing civilians. Rule 25 states that a teacher who continues to teach after warnings from the Taleban must be beaten, and if they still continue to teach "contrary to the principles of Islam" they must be killed. Similarly, a Taleban fatwa, or religious edict, orders the death of anyone who supports the US-led intervention. MORE
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA110022007
Please also see:
Afghanistan: Civilians Bear Cost of Escalating Insurgent Attacks
Rising Civilian Death Toll Points to Taliban, Hezb-e Islami War Crimes
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/04/16/afghan15688.htm
"Afghan civilians are bearing the brunt of this conflict. They are caught in the fighting between the Taleban, Afghan government forces, US forces and forces from other NATO countries", said Claudio Cordone, Senior Director for Research at Amnesty International.
"But it is the Taleban who have a deliberate policy of targeting civilians -- they are killing teachers, abducting aid workers and burning school buildings."
The Taleban's military rulebook, or Laheya, explicitly sanctions targeting and killing civilians. Rule 25 states that a teacher who continues to teach after warnings from the Taleban must be beaten, and if they still continue to teach "contrary to the principles of Islam" they must be killed. Similarly, a Taleban fatwa, or religious edict, orders the death of anyone who supports the US-led intervention. MORE
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA110022007
Please also see:
Afghanistan: Civilians Bear Cost of Escalating Insurgent Attacks
Rising Civilian Death Toll Points to Taliban, Hezb-e Islami War Crimes
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/04/16/afghan15688.htm