Don't 'punish' former regime members: Taliban chief orders fighters

Days after a video of a former Afghan army commander being beaten went viral on social media, the Taliban's supreme leader has ordered fighters not to punish members of Afghanistan's former regime for past "crimes."

The edict, which was issued by Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem on Thursday, also ordered Taliban authorities to discourage Afghans from leaving the country since they would not be respected in other countries. 

The Taliban chief, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, was recorded as advising followers in Kandahar, the cradle of the hardline Islamist movement, "Don't punish employees of the previous regime for their past sins." 

Watch: Taliban member brutally tortures an Afghan army official

Yesterday, despite the Taliban's announcement of a general amnesty following their takeover of Afghanistan, a video on social media showing a former government military commander being tortured by two men has aroused outrage.

Following the viral video of torture, many people on social media platforms have stated that such actions are plainly in violation of the broad amnesty promised by the Islamic Emirate in its early days in power, according to Tolo News.

The United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch have all accused the Taliban of extrajudicial killings of former security troops and government officials. 

On Tuesday, a tiny group of women protested the violence in Kabul, the capital.

Thousands of Afghans, particularly those associated with the past regime, are desperate to leave the country, but Taliban officials, according to Akhundzada, should encourage them to stay.

A failing economy and a humanitarian crisis, which the UN warns has generated "an avalanche of starvation," have intensified the departure. 

(With inputs from agencies)