The U.S. State Department’s 2024 annual report on Afghanistan highlights alarming human rights abuses committed by both the Taliban and Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP), pointing to a grim reality for civilians under militant rule.
Released Tuesday, the report outlines a sharp deterioration in civil liberties, particularly for women, journalists, and minority groups. It describes the Taliban’s repressive “morality” laws as a major tool of social control, restricting personal freedoms, especially for women and girls, and enforcing strict behavioural codes through threats and violence.
The report also implicates both the Taliban and IS-KP in targeted killings, with credible accounts of civilians and former government personnel being executed without due process. These killings were reported across multiple provinces, including Kabul, Panjshir, Kunduz, Herat, and others, many in regions where the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front remains active. Neither group has acknowledged responsibility, nor have any accountability mechanisms been established.
Media freedom has continued to shrink, the report notes, as journalists face harassment, arbitrary detention, and abuse. More than 180 press freedom violations were recorded over the past year, alongside censorship and increasing internet restrictions.
The Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, including public lashings and executions without legal proceedings, is also documented. UN figures cited in the report indicate over 360 such incidents in 2023, targeting both men and women.
A disturbing section of the report highlights the Taliban’s recruitment of child soldiers. Over 340 children were reportedly used by Taliban forces in 2023, some in direct combat roles. In Badakhshan, around 30 boys aged 10–18 were undergoing military training at a Taliban facility.
Further violations include enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests, particularly of women’s rights activists, journalists, and government critics. Detainees are often denied access to legal representation or communication with families.
On the refugee front, the report states that the Taliban have obstructed international efforts to assist returnees and internally displaced persons, with “morality police” even stationed at border crossings to monitor compliance with Taliban codes.
The State Department concludes that both the Taliban and IS-KP demonstrate a blatant disregard for international human rights norms. It urges the global community to increase oversight and pressure to protect the Afghan people, especially vulnerable populations like women and children.
