US backed militias carried out extrajudicial killings in Afghanistan
A new report reveals Afghan militias that receive funding and other support from the United States have committed human rights abuses including extrajudicial killings.
Journalists with Al Jazeera compiled the report. One of the main points of focus is the kidnapping and extrajudicial killing of three villagers from the town of Alizai.
On June 1, 2014, U.S. and Afghan Special Forces arrived in Alizai by helicopter for a night raid to locate and arrest Taliban fighters. The troops rounded up all of the town's fighting age boys and men in the courtyard of a local residence. They stayed in the courtyard as the commandos carried out their investigations and interrogations.
At around 11 a.m., a group of around 30 armed men, a pro-government militia, arrived in the village by motorcycle. Some were in uniforms of the Afghan Local Police and others were wearing civilian clothes. The group left shortly thereafter to join a nearby battle, but returned in the afternoon, according to Al Jazeera.
After returning, the group's leader, Abdullah, handpicked three men and put them on the back of his group's motorcycles. With U.S. and Afghan troops looking on from defensive positions in the village, Abdullah left the town with his captives.
Witnesses say that they saw blindfolded men being led by militia members before they were shot more than 100 times. A United Nations investigation into the matter determined that the executions of these men did indeed take place.
While the United Nations report validated the witness testimony and confirmed the events of that day, the International Security Assistance Force, which represents the United States and NATO said that their investigation into the matter did not turn up any wrongdoing.
They also said that the United States does not support any unofficial militias.
However, when reached by phone, Abdullah, the militia's leader personally admitted to having killed the three men. When asked about where he gets his funds and weapons for his militia he said, "Everything is provided by the foreigners, including the weapons, salaries and other equipment."
