KABUL, Afghanistan
\nThe Taliban acting interior minister \u2014 designated a terrorist by the U.S. \u2014 said in a rare public appearance Saturday that security police guilty of misconduct in Afghanistan were being penalized after a string of abuse allegations.
\nFor the first time, photos showing Sirajuddin Haqqani\u2019s face were published by official Taliban government channels. That contrasted with an October appearance, when photos of the influential and reserved figure were blurred.
\nHaqqani was photographed attending the Saturday graduation ceremony of the first class to complete police training since the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan. Around 377 personnel, both male and female, graduated during the ceremony.
\nThe event marked the first time Haqqani has given statements to the media since being named interior minister.
\nHaqqani said in a speech at the ceremony that Taliban security personnel who committed crimes against Afghan civilians were undergoing criminal proceedings. Civilians have complained of abuse by Taliban militants in house-to-house raids and at checkpoints.
\nIn January a young woman was shot to death by a Taliban security police at a checkpoint. He was later arrested.
\nHaqqani acknowledged that \u201csome misconduct happens\u201d among former Taliban fighters who made the shift from fighting a war to policing the streets and added they were undergoing training.
\nHaqqani said the international community should not see his government as a threat and that foreign aid was needed to revive the country. He said his government was committed to the Doha peace agreement signed between the Taliban and the U.S. in February last year that brought an end to the war in Afghanistan.
\nThe agreement requires the Taliban to prevent extremists groups, like al-Qaeda, from using Afghanistan as a base to threaten international security.
\nIn an apparent reference to international concerns over the Taliban\u2019s willingness to grant access to education and employment for women, Haqqani said women can work and go to school in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
\nOf the female police graduates, he said: \u201cToday our sisters are with us in this ceremony, they are receiving their graduation diplomas and are being appointed in different jobs.\u201d He did not specify how many women had graduated.
\nThe Taliban have been pressing for the release of billions of dollars of Afghan central bank reserves frozen overseas as the country battles drought, cash shortfalls and mass starvation.
\nHaqqani is wanted by the FBI and carries a $10 million bounty for information leading to his arrest.
\nHe called on the thousands of Afghans who fled the country after the Taliban takeover to return.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KABUL, Afghanistan The Taliban acting interior minister \u2014 designated a terrorist by the U.S. \u2014 said in a rare public appearance Saturday that security police guilty of misconduct in Afghanistan were being penalized after a string of abuse allegations. For the first time, photos showing Sirajuddin Haqqani\u2019s face were published by official Taliban government channels. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-247947","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n