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Govt says Taliban destroyed 260 office buildings in 106 districts
The chairman of the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) Nader Nadery said Thursday a study has found that the Taliban has destroyed or set fire to 260 government buildings in 106 districts in recent weeks.
This comes amid heightened tension across the country as the Taliban continue to seize districts.
Addressing an event on Thursday, Nadery said the findings show that the Taliban has plundered equipment and property belonging to public institutions.
“Taliban have proposed a three month ceasefire but in return they want the release their 7,000 prisoners and the removal of their leaders’ names from the UN blacklist, which is a heavy demand by them,” Nadery said.
The survey findings are as follows:
1. Plunder of equipment and property of public institutions
“In 82 districts the rate of equipment looted was reported to be 100% in 18 districts; between 70% and 90% in 14 districts; from 50% to 60% and in 35 districts up to 50%.”
2. Displacement of thousands of public service workers
“Nearly 4,000 public service workers have been affected by the Taliban’s takeover of the districts, and many have fled their areas to provincial capitals due to poor security conditions and high threats against them.”
3. Deprivation of basic government services to millions of citizens
“More than 13 million Afghans have been deprived of basic government services and development projects such as rebuilding water supply networks, roads, retaining walls, building schools, building bridges, digging wells, building hospitals, building cold storages and other projects.”
4. 50,000 civil servants affected
“More than 50,000 civil servants are … unable to attend their duties.
5. In the Taliban-controlled districts of Takhar province alone, 112 development projects planned for this year have been completely stopped.
6. Restrictions on women health care providers
In a small number of the districts under their control, the Taliban have allowed female employees working in the health service sector to travel to work on condition they wear a full hijab and have a legal Mahram (relative to accompany them).
7. In the Taliban-controlled districts of Paktia province, only women working as midwives have been allowed to continue working and need to wear a full hijab and have a Mahram.
Nadery said attacking and injuring civilians and civilian facilities is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.
A cessation of hostilities and a political agreement for a common future for all Afghans is the way to prevent these crimes from continuing, he said. The continuation of the war makes the Afghans losers.
On the other hand, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said in response to Nadery’s remarks that the claims were untrue.
Mujahid said in a voice message to the media that the Taliban was providing better security than government.
This comes after a substantial spike in violence has been recorded across the country since the US and NATO troops started withdrawing.
In the past few weeks, the Taliban has seized dozens of districts, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of Afghans fleeing their homes.