UN Document Says Taliban Threatened, Beat Staff: Report

While Taliban has sought to reassure Afghans and Western powers they will respect people's rights, reports of reprisals have undermined confidence, not least among those associated with foreign organisations.

The Taliban stopped an Afghan United Nations staff member as he tried to reach Kabul airport on Sunday. They searched his vehicle and found his UN identification. Then they beat him. On Monday, three unknown men visited the home of another UN staff member who was at work at the time. They asked his son where his father was, and accused him of lying: "We know his location and what he does." The incidents are among dozens contained in an internal UN security document seen by Reuters that describes veiled threats, the looting of UN offices and physical abuse of staff since August 10, shortly before the Taliban swept to power. While the Islamist terrorist movement has sought to reassure Afghans and Western powers that they will respect people's rights, reports of reprisals have undermined confidence, not least among those associated with foreign organisations.