Western countries express concern over Afghan reprisals, Taliban reject accusations

FILE PHOTO: Afghan policemen keep watch at a checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan April 19, 2021 REUTERS/Omar Sobhani

BERLIN (Reuters) -The United States and a group of Western countries including Germany, France and Britain have expressed concern over reported killings and disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August.

In a joint statement issued over the weekend, the 21 countries plus the European Union referred to reports of such abuses documented by Human Rights Watch and others.