Taliban dismiss 2,800 members for abuses, says official

Government launched commission to identify members who flouted regulations when it regained power

The Taliban said almost 3,000 members had been dismissed over accusations of abusive practices. AFP

The Taliban have dismissed almost 3,000 members accused of abusive practices in a “vetting process” launched since coming to power, an official said on Saturday.

The Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in August after a 20-year insurgency against former US-backed governments and Nato foreign forces.

Their government promised a more moderate approach than the group's 1996-2001 regime and launched a commission to identify members who were flouting regulations.

“They were giving a bad name to the Islamic Emirate. They were removed in this vetting process so that we can build a clean army and police force in the future,” the head of the panel, Latifullah Hakimi of the Defence Ministry told AFP.

So far, about 2,840 members had been dismissed, he said.

“They were involved in corruption, drugs and were intruding in people's private lives. Some also had links with Daesh,” Mr Hakimi said, using the Arabic name for ISIS.

Taliban fighters have been accused by rights groups of extrajudicial killings of former security force members, despite an amnesty order by the movement's supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Officials have been killed in gun and bomb attacks in Kabul and other cities.

Mr Hakimi said those suspended were from 14 provinces and the process to “filter out” such members would continue in other provinces.

Since seizing power, Taliban authorities have restricted the freedoms of Afghans, especially women.

Most female public sector workers have been prevented from returning to work and many secondary schools have not reopened for girls.

Long-distance trips for women who are not accompanied by a close male relative have also been banned in Afghanistan.