Residents say the Taliban shot and killed 43 civilians and security force members in the Malistan district of Afghanistan’s central province of Ghazni earlier this month. “After entering Malistan district, Taliban fighters committed war crimes, killing civilians who were not involved in the fighting “At a press conference in Kabul on Sunday, Mina Naderi, a civil society activist from Ghazni, said.
“They attacked people’s homes, looted their belongings, and then set fire to them. They also destroyed and looted shops in the heart of Malistan district,” Naderi read from a joint statement from Malistan residents.
Haji Nadir told Tolo News that his sons Ramazan Ali, 29, and Ishaq Ali, 31, were killed by the Taliban ten days ago and that neither of them worked for the government or served in the country’s security forces. As fighting in the area escalated, Nadir said they were attempting to flee Malistan with their families.
The wives of the men who were killed said the Taliban blindfolded their husbands in front of their children, took them near a mosque in the area and then “opened fire on them.”
“We were on our way when we were stopped by the Taliban. The two were taken (Taliban) and both were killed,” Jamal, Ishaq Ali’s wife, was quoted as saying by Tolo News. “They were taken out and were taken a bit far (from their home) and were martyred,” Ramazan’s wife Zulaikha said.
The men have five children, the eldest of whom is seven years old, and they are currently residing in Kabul, according to Tolo News.
Those who have been displaced as a result of the fighting in Malistan say the Taliban took food from people and issued an announcement saying they would treat people, particularly women, according to the rules of the “Islamic emirate.”
According to Tolo News, at least 3,000 people have been displaced from Malistan in the last ten days as a result of the Taliban’s attack.
