WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Afghan military and the Taliban must guard civilians caught in violence, a US human rights advocacy group said in a release on Monday.
"As fighting rages in Kunduz, all sides must ensure that civilians and civilian objects are protected according to international humanitarian law, which governs all parties to an armed conflict," Amnesty International Afghanistan researcher Horia Mosadiq stated in the release.
On Monday, Taliban forces took over several positions in the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz, including the city's provincial council building and the High Peace Council offices.
She explained that deliberately targeting civilians not directly participating in hostilities, as well as indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks, amount to war crimes.
Mosadiq concluded the Taliban cannot target different civilians "simply for their work," and must ensure it does not commit reprisal-offensives.
The Taliban has recently began an offensive on its former stronghold of Kunduz
