According to the attached 17 November 1996 Associated Press (AP) report, there have been reports of Taliban commanders forcing Uzbeks and Tajiks into their army and sending them to the front line. In the capital Kabul, which Taliban soldiers took in September, hundreds of young male Uzbeks, Tajiks, Hazaras, Shiites and Turkmen have reportedly been disappearing.

According to Amnesty International, on 10 October 1996 the Taliban rounded up scores of young boys and men in raids on a number of mosques, telling them they "would have to fight with the Taleban fighters against forces loyal to the ousted government" (AI Nov. 1996, 21). The attached 12 October 1996 Le Monde and the 15 October 1996 Washington Post reports also refer to the Taliban forcibly conscripting Kabulis who were picked up near mosques. These incidents led some young men to flee the capital (The Washington Post 15 Oct. 1996). Although the Taliban have denied detaining these men, their families have no idea of their whereabouts (AI Nov. 1996, 21).

Country Reports 1996 states that following the Taliban capture of the capital, there were unconfirmed reports of young male Kabulis being rounded up by the Taliban to fight in their ranks (1997, s. 1(f)). In Kabul there were also allegations that young men, "after being arrested on suspicion of being former government sympathizers," had been press-ganged by the Taliban to fight at the front (Daily Telegraph 14 Oct. 1996). In October 1996 the UNHCR registered approximately 300 single young men who claimed to be "fleeing forced conscription by the Taliban" (Country Reports 1996 1997, s. 1(f)).

According to Amnesty International, many Kabulis feared that men taken prisoner by the Taliban after the fall of Kabul could be sent to clear minefields in the Panjshir Valley (2 Oct. 1996; Country Reports 1996 1997, 1(d)).

According to Agence France Presse (AFP), the Taliban have threatened to punish those who spread rumours about the Taliban conscripting men in mosques, bazaars or their homes to fight in the Taliban ranks or to clear minefields (12 Oct. 1996).

According to an AP report, some of Dustam's soldiers allegedly kidnapped several people from the village of Joi Gang in Badghis province (17 Nov. 1996). A refugee arriving at one of the UN camps in Herat stated that the Uzbeks were "taking all our beautiful women and boys" (ibid.).

In Herat's central jail, Uzbek soldiers captured by the Taliban claimed they had been forcibly conscripted by Dustam (Reuters 30 Oct. 1996; DPA 30 Oct. 1996).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 12 October 1996. Marc Lavine. "Taliban React Furiously to Reports of Forcible Roundups of Recruits." (NEXIS)

Amnesty International (AI). November 1996. Afghanistan: Grave Abuses in the Name of Religion. (AI Index: ASA 11/12/96). London: Amnesty International.

_____. 2 October 1996. Afghanistan: Taleban Take Hundreds of Civilians Prisoner. (AI Index: ASA 11/07/96). London: Amnesty International.

The Associated Press (AP). 17 November 1996. AM Cycle. Ranjan Roy. "Villagers Flee to Safety Amid Fears of an Ethnic War." (NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996. 1997. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Internet] [Accessed 5 Feb. 1997]

The Daily Telegraph [London]. 14 October 1996. Alex Spillius. "Taliban Suffers Major Blow from Loyalists." (NEXIS)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 30 October 1996. BC Cycle. "Uzbek Warlord Pushes Warfront with Taleban Back to Badghis–Report." (NEXIS)

Le Monde [Paris]. 12 October 1996. Philip Bruno. "Les talibans doivent faire face à la contre-offensive d'autres factions armées afghanes; Les forces du commandant Massoud ont attaqué l'aeroport de Bagram." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 30 October 1996. BC Cycle. Alistair Lyon. "Taleban Battle Foes in Northwest Afghanistan." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 15 October 1996. Kenneth J. Cooper. "Peace Elusive for Afghan Capital." [Internet]http://wp1.washingtonpost.com/cgi-bin/displaySearch? WParch+27578+%28 Afghanistan%3Akeyword%26%28%28%28% afghan%26afghanistan%29%26near%F500%26afghanistan%29%26near%2F500%26afghanistan%29%29%3AALL [Internet]http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp~srv.inatl/longterm/worldref/country/afghanis.htm [Accessed 22 Oct. 1996]

Agence France Presse (AFP). 12 October 1996. Marc Lavine. "Taliban React Furiously to Reports of Forcible Roundups of Recruits." (NEXIS)

Amnesty International (AI). 2 October 1996. Afghanistan: Taleban Take Hundreds of Civilians Prisoner. (AI Index: ASA 11/07/96). London: Amnesty International.

The Associated Press (AP). 17 November 1996. AM Cycle. Ranjan Roy. "Villagers Flee to Safety Amid Fears of an Ethnic War." (NEXIS)

The Daily Telegraph [London]. 14 October 1996. Alex Spillius. "Taliban Suffers Major Blow from Loyalists." (NEXIS)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 30 October 1996. BC Cycle. "Uzbek Warlord Pushes Warfront with Taleban Back to Badghis–Report." (NEXIS)

Le Monde [Paris]. 12 October 1996. Philip Bruno. "Les talibans doivent faire face à la contre-offensive d'autres factions armées afghanes; Les forces du commandant Massoud ont attaqué l'aeroport de Bagram." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 30 October 1996. BC Cycle. Alistair Lyon. "Taleban Battle Foes in Northwest Afghanistan." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 15 October 1996. Kenneth J. Cooper. "Peace Elusive for Afghan Capital." [Internet]http://wp1.washingtonpost.com/cgi-bin/displaySearch? WParch+27578+%28 Afghanistan%3Akeyword%26%28%28%28% afghan%26afghanistan%29%26near%F500%26afghanistan%29%26near%2F500%26afghanistan%29%29%3AALL [Internet]http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp~srv.inatl/longterm/worldref/country/afghanis.htm [Accessed 22 Oct. 1996]