By Sanjeev Sharma

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS): Former Afghanistan Interior Minister Masoud Andarabi has posted shocking pictures of young children reportedly being killed by the Taliban.

Andarabi said that the Taliban "are trying to rule over people by terrorising them, killing young children and elderly citizens".

He said the Taliban "cannot govern the nation" using such terror methods.

"Taliban are trying to rule over the people by terrorising them, killing young children and elderly citizens. Taliban cannot govern the nation by such actions. In Andarab, the Taliban have been carrying out unwarranted searches of homes, capturing people without reason or justification, and killing innocent citizens. As a result, people have had to rise against their brutality to protect their lives, honour, dignity and property," Andarabi said in a tweet where he posted pictures of bodies of children and also children who have been injured.

The pictures show small children, who Andarabi says have been killed by the Taliban.

"Talibs aren't allowing food and fuel to get into the Andarab valley. The humanitarian situation is dire. Thousands of women and children have fled to the mountains. Since the last two days, Talibs are abducting children and elderly and using them as shields to move around or do house search," former Vice President of Afghanistan, Amrullah Saleh, said in a tweet.

Afghanistan's seizure by the Taliban has raised grave fears over a return to past patterns of human rights violations, stoking desperation among many Afghans.

Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that in recent weeks, the office has received harrowing and credible reports of the impact on civilians of violations of international humanitarian law, as well as violations and abuses of human rights, by the parties to the conflict.

"In particular, we have also received credible reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law, and human rights abuses, taking place in many areas under effective Taliban control. They include, among others, summary executions of civilians and hors de combat members of the Afghan national security forces; restrictions on the rights of women – including their right to move around freely and girls' right to attend schools; recruitment of child soldiers; and repression of peaceful protest and expression of dissent," Bachelet said.