New York: Taliban fighters have taken over some UN compounds in Afghanistan, looking for and searching offices and in one case demanding guards to provide food for a commander and his men, according to the UN internal report seen by Reuters.
“We are also suggested by the Taliban to remain in our complex ‘for our safety’ which is equivalent to ‘asking permission before thinking about going’,” Department for Safety and Security (UNDS) wrote in the August 21 risk assessment report.
It is said that the Taliban is inconsistent in dealing with UN staff and that some Afghan personnel have been prevented from entering several UN places.
Taliban did not immediately respond to Reuters’s request to comment on the UN security report.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at a press conference on Tuesday that the Islamic group hoped for good diplomatic relations with other countries and wanted a foreign embassy to remain open.
The United Nations has around 300 international staff and 3,000 Afghan staff when the Taliban seized power on August 15.
The world body has begun to move around 100 of them to Kazakhstan to continue working.
Liam McDowall, spokesman for the UN political mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), refused to comment on “alleged leaky documents,” especially those related to safety and staff security.
He said the United Nations had not been occupied by the Taliban, but acknowledged that several UN buildings – where there were no staff present – “has been broken and looted, with security personnel experiencing intimidation that is unacceptable, but there is no harm.” The UNSS report said that the UN Afghan staff often reported the search for homes by the Taliban and “they were scared and left alone in the face of this new reality.” McDowall said that “No UN staff members have reported a single home search, detention or other serious incidents involving the Taliban,” but the United Nations still “pays attention to” fear of staff and that “security situation worsened.” He said “extensive security settings” in place.
Taliban spokesman on Tuesday denied reports that the group conducted a home search to find retaliation targets, saying: “We have forgotten everything in the past.” ‘There is no coherent command, controlling’ UNSS report assessing the current security risk as “very high” that each UN security convoy will be deliberately “targeted by a shot” and the United Nations staff will be killed or injured.
It assesses the risk as “very high” that the Taliban will enter the UN complex and kill, hurt or kidnap UN personnel.
UNDS states that now the Taliban is Afghanistan’s ad-hoc authority is “element of government responsible for the security of our personnel and buildings.” “However, at present, there is no coherent command and control with what we can provide to discuss the requirements or security issues.
There is no competent force that can or will provide a security response if a problem occurs,” UNDS said.
It does note that “in some cases, staff have been treated politely and our facilities and compounds are respected and secured” by the Taliban.
Three Afghans who worked for the United Nations told Reuters that they were worried that the world body was not enough to help national staff – who had approval to travel to other countries – to get to Kabul Airport.
The speed with the Taliban paired the country, when foreign troops retreated after the 20-year war, had caused chaotic scenes at the airport because diplomats and Afghans tried to leave.
McDowall said the United Nations was trying the best despite “very real limitations at this time about what could be done about access to Kabul Airport.” “The United Nations in Afghanistan is a fully civilized, and unarmed civil entity,” he said, adding that the United Nations came into contact with certain member countries to urge them to provide a visa or support the temporary relocation of Afghan staff.