Taliban killed 13 ethnic Hazaras, including a 17-year-old girl, in Afghanistan’s Daykundi province shortly after taking over the country on August 15, according to a report by Amnesty International.

The latest investigation carried out by the global human rights organisation revealed the brutal killings happened in Kahor village of Khidir district on 30 August after members of the security forces of the former government surrendered.

Eleven of the victims were former members of the Afghan National Defence Security Forces (ANDSF) and two were civilians.

According to eyewitness, the Taliban executed nine of the ANDSF members, killings that appear to be war crimes. Two civilians were killed as they attempted to flee, including a 17-year-old girl shot when the Taliban opened fire on a crowd of people.

During their previous rule in Afghanistan from 1996-2001, Taliban were famous for harsh punishments, violating human rights and restrictions on women, including banning females from education.

Sadiqullah Abed, the Taliban-appointed chief of police for Daykundi, on September 1,denied any killings had happened and instead only confirmed that a member of the Taliban had been wounded in an attack in the province.

Raihana Azad, a former member of Parliament for the province, also verified Amnesty’s report, saying the events of August 30 amounted to “inhumane mass killings” carried out by the Taliban, according to a report by Aljazeera.

She noted the killings were in direct violation of the Taliban’s claims of a nationwide general amnesty for former security forces and government workers.

“These cold-blooded executions are further proof that the Taliban are committing the same horrific abuses they were notorious for during their previous rule of Afghanistan,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“They repeatedly violate the rights of those they perceive as their adversaries, even killing those who have already surrendered. The Taliban say they are not targeting former employees of the previous government, but these killings contradict such claims," she added.

According to Amnesty International, the Taliban took control of Daykundi province on 14 August.