Afghan Envoy Tells UN That Millions Live in Fear Under Taliban

Afghanistan Ambassador Nasir Ahmad Andisha speaks during a special session of the Human Rights Council on the situation in Afghanistan, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Aug. 24, 2021. Denis Balibouse/Reuters

GENEVA—A senior Afghan diplomat from the deposed government on Tuesday called for accountability for Taliban actions, describing an “uncertain and dire” situation where millions of people fear for their lives amid reports of forced marriages and door-to-door searches.

Addressing an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ambassador Nasir Ahmad Andisha called for member states to send a strong message to the Taliban and others that rights abuses “will have consequences.”