Relatives of Yakawlang victims in Bamiyan on Saturday lashed out at Abdul Hakim Mujahid, an advisor to the High Peace Council (HPC), for what they say were insensitive comments that showed disrespect to their family members killed by Taliban in 2001. 
 
In 2001, Taliban opened fire on a gathering of people in central Bamiyan province where they killed more than 300 residents of Yakawlang district.
 
“These remarks are a betrayal to the victims who were killed by Taliban in Yakawlang and other parts of the country,” said a relative of a victim from Yakawlang.
 
This comes after Mujahid said earlier this week, in the wake of Tuesday’s deadly bombings in Kabul, that the Taliban are angels of peace and the group is a sacred group.
 
In addition, he said Mohammad Najibullah, the former president of Afghanistan, and leaders of the resistance front were traitors.

“Taliban is a sacred group who have fought against Russia and defeated them, then put an end to civil war and brought security to the country,” Mujahid said.
 
Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) and parliament members (MPs) also sharply criticized Mujahid for this remarks.

“Such remarks by people who have accepted the Afghan government is unbearable and according to law, they can be stopped,” said Musa Mahmoudi, executive director of AIHRC.
  
Government also reacted to Mujahid’s remarks and said those insurgents who kill civilians will be eliminated by security forces.
 
“Terrorist groups get orders from foreign countries to destroy Afghanistan. They carry out terrorists activities, thus instead of peace, they should be eliminated,” read a statement released by the presidential palace following the attack.
 
HPC has not commented in this regard.
 
Atta Mohammad Noor, acting governor of northern Balkh province, said it is not known what action government will take against such remarks.