The Taliban’s supreme leader has ordered fighters not to punish members of Afghanistan’s former regime for past “crimes”, days after a video of an army commander being beaten went viral on social media.
The order, issued on Thursday by group spokesman, Mohammad Naeem, also urged Taliban authorities to discourage Afghans from leaving the country as they would not be respected abroad.
Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada was quoted telling followers in Kandahar, the birthplace of the hardline Islamist movement not to punish employees of the previous regime for their past crimes.
The Taliban chief — who has not been filmed or photographed in public for years — said a general amnesty announced after the Islamists took power in August should be honored.
The Taliban are accused by the United Nations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch of dozens of extrajudicial killings of members of the former security forces and administration.
