Statement by IEA regarding report of the UN Secretary-General about situation in Afghanistan

A report about the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security was recently presented by the Secretary-General to the Security Council without the presence of any representative of the Government of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate
of Afghanistan would like to present its position in the following lines:

We appreciate that the report has taken note of steps taken by the government of Afghanistan with regards to improved governance, accountability and access to services through improvement of existing and creation of new structures such as empowering the Supreme Court and establishment of Ulama Councils; continuation of salaries to female civil servants and others from abolished institutions; efforts
towards national reconciliation and unity with former administration officials and minorities; curbing arms trafficking, and narcotics cultivation and trade; treatment of drug addicts; re-issuance of licenses to defense lawyers, and decline in security incidents by illegal armed elements and Daesh.

We, however, disagree with the assessment that there was an increase in amnesty violations, arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment. While the report alleges 9 instances of killings, 17 instances of detentions and 9 instances of torture and ill-treatment, categorizing unsolved murder cases as extra-judicial killings, criminal cases as arbitrary arrests and physical altercations in the course of arrest as torture and ill-treatment is injustice and misrepresentation.

Moreover, we also reject the claim that 23 armed groups operate in Afghanistan.

Drawing national level conclusions from small sample size of alleged cases and labelling social-media propaganda accounts as genuine armed groups is a clear bias to confirm certain narratives or an information gap.

We are encouraged that the report urges continuation of constructive engagement between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and international community that puts the needs of the Afghan people first. Within the limits of our sovereignty, national interests and teachings of the Holy Religion of Islam, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stands ready to continue to work with the international community to address issues of shared concern.