US envoy appeals to Taliban to stop inflicting hardship on the people

Ross Wilson, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul, said Wednesday that the Taliban offensive violates the human rights of Afghans amid a surge in Taliban attacks across the country.

Wilson stated that the Taliban offensive is bringing hardship to communities across Afghanistan which is already grappling with drought, poverty, and COVID-19.

“It violates Afghans’ human rights and provokes fear that a system this country’s citizens do not support will be imposed,” Wilson said.

“We call on the Taliban to negotiate in good faith and with a genuine will to bring about a political settlement and a permanent end to fighting,” he added.

This comes after the Taliban launched an attack on Qala-e-Naw, the capital of Badghis, on Wednesday morning after the militants captured all six districts of the province.

Badghis governor Hassamuddin Shams has confirmed that at the height of clashes between the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and the Taliban, insurgents broke through the prison gate in the provincial capital of Qala-e-Naw and freed the prisoners.

However, according to Shams, the security forces were quick to intervene and have since recaptured about 80% of the inmates.

The Afghan forces managed to repel the Taliban attacks on Wednesday afternoon. Badghis governor stated that the city was cleared of the insurgents.