A gay man in Kabul, Afghanistan, said the Taliban “are hunting us” and described what life under the terrorist group’s rule is like for those in the LGBTQ community.
During an interview with the Daily Mail, the individual, whose identity was not revealed for his protection, explained members of the Taliban would take pleasure in hunting down and killing LGBTQ people, the outlet reported Friday.
‘They kill us very brutally. Not like the others who they kill with a gun or a bullet. They will use fire, or they will behead or stone us, and they will enjoy it – it’s acceptable to them,” the man said.
He added his best friend committed suicide due to the fact “no one was here to listen to his voice.”
“I tried to encourage him, to give him hope, but he’s not coming back and I can’t forget that moment. He was living like a shadow, and he went like a shadow,” he continued.
In this Monday, October 16, 2016 photo, Rameen, a young gay Afghan, poses with his back to the camera in Kabul, Afghanistan. To be homosexual in Afghanistan is to live in fear. Rameen and Naveed, another young gay man, have lost count of the number of times they’ve been lured into dangerous situations by men they believed they were meeting for dates. Both men describe being robbed, beaten up and blackmailed, and receiving death threats; they’ve even survived police “honey traps” that could have seen them thrown in prison without charge, simply on suspicion of being gay. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)
The return of the radical Islamist Taliban, which has historically persecuted LGBT people, called into question President Joe Biden’s commitment to that particular community, something his administration has often touted, Breitbart News reported August 16:
Biden signed a memorandum in February, shortly after his inauguration, “directing all U.S. government departments and agencies engaged abroad to ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) persons around the world,” according to the State Department.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, the United States will work with like-minded governments and strengthen civil society advocacy to fully support and advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised at the time. “Our international partners can be assured that advancing human rights for all individuals, with no exception or caveat, is a U.S. foreign policy priority.”
The administration claimed to defend LGBT Afghans in June, and the State Department ordered a rainbow flag accompany the American flag outside the U.S. embassy in Kabul to mark Pride month.
The month of June is recognized as (LGBTI) Pride Month. The United States respects the dignity & equality of LGBTI people & celebrates their contributions to the society. We remain committed to supporting civil rights of minorities, including LGBTI persons. #Pride2021 #PrideMonth pic.twitter.com/qgKPQAPaOY
— U.S. Embassy Kabul (@USEmbassyKabul) June 2, 2021
Despite the assurances to American citizens the Biden administration would prioritize LGBT rights, Blinken failed to mention the issue during a visit to Kabul in April.
“The Taliban regularly executed LGBT people during its first term ruling Afghanistan before 2001. Among the more gruesome methods the Taliban used to kill accused homosexuals was crushing them by destroying a brick wall over them,” the Breitbart News report said.
Meanwhile, the number of elected Republicans demanding Biden’s resignation grew to 26 after two suicide explosions killed 13 U.S. service members and approximately 95 Afghans in Kabul on Thursday.
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