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Interactive Map Exposes Disturbing Human Rights Abuses in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan

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Mamoon Alvi
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A U.K.-based rights group has launched an interactive map that exposes the alarming prevalence of human rights abuses and violence against civilians in Afghanistan since the Taliban assumed control almost two years ago.

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The comprehensive documentation, encompassing violations committed by the Taliban and militant groups like the Islamic State, provides a distressing account of the current situation in the country.

The Center for Information Resilience, an independent non-profit organization, initiated this project to raise global awareness about the escalating abuses against civilians, journalists, and ethnic minorities in Afghanistan.

Shedding Light on Atrocities Through Data

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The interactive map, developed as part of the Afghan Witness initiative, offers over 1,300 data points of incidents that have occurred since August 17, 2021.

It serves as a transparent record of verified human rights violations under Taliban rule, including targeted violence against women, independent journalists, minorities, and the suppression of peaceful protests and armed resistance.

Benjamin Den Braber, the lead analyst at Afghan Witness, acknowledges that the documented cases represent only a fraction of the actual human rights violations, as many cases of abuse remain hidden and unrecorded.

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The Power of Visualization and Collaboration

The U.K.-based Center for Information Resilience employed open-source data and investigative techniques to uncover human rights abuses, war crimes, and disinformation in conflict zones like Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Myanmar.

Collaborating with C4ADS, a U.S.-based organization specializing in data-driven analysis and technology, the Afghan Witness team utilized visualization tools to effectively tell the stories of the Taliban's human rights abuses.

Lawrence Henderson, a program director at C4ADS, recognizes the significance of visualizing these atrocities as a powerful tool to expose and condemn such actions.

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