Missing since 2016
Missing since 2016
When the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan, it left secrets in the desert.
When the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan, it left secrets in the desert.
Her son vanished eight years ago.
Her son vanished eight years ago.
His son disappeared then, too.
His son disappeared then, too.
The New York Times identified hundreds of civilians abducted in the largest campaign of forced disappearances of the war.
It all led back to one man.
The New York Times identified hundreds of civilians abducted in the largest campaign of forced disappearances of the war.
It all led back to one man.
America’s Monster
How the U.S. Backed Kidnapping, Torture and Murder in Afghanistan
The New York Times documented the disappearances of more than 300 Afghans during the reign of an American-backed general in the war. The actual toll is likely far higher.
Supported by
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
America’s Monster
The convoy rumbled into the Taliban heartland, a white desert littered with stones. Over the loudspeakers at the local mosque, the Afghan police officers ordered everyone to gather: The commander was here.
Dozens assembled in the mud square to listen as Abdul Raziq, one of America’s most important partners in the war against the Taliban, stood before the crowd, gesturing at two prisoners he had brought along to make his point.
The prisoners knelt with their hands bound as Raziq spoke to his men. A pair of his officers raised their rifles and opened fire, sending the prisoners into spasms on the reddening earth. In the silence that followed, Raziq addressed the crowd, three witnesses said.
“You will learn to respect me and reject the Taliban,” Raziq said after the killings, which took place in the winter of 2010, according to the witnesses and relatives of both men. “Because I will come back and do this again and again, and no one is going to stop me.”
For years, American military leaders lionized Raziq as a model partner in Afghanistan, their “if only” ally in the battle against the Taliban: If only everyone fought like Raziq, we might actually win this war, American commanders often said.
Image
Abdul Raziq at his home in Kandahar City in 2015, shadowed by one of his many bodyguards.
Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.
Azam Ahmed is international investigative correspondent for The Times. He has reported on Wall Street scandals, the War in Afghanistan and violence and corruption in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. More about Azam Ahmed
Matthieu Aikins is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine who, since 2008, has been covering conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East, the US military's operations overseas, forced migration and human rights conflict. His work has received National Magazine, Polk and Livingston awards. He was part of a New York Times team that won the 2022 Pulitzer for international reporting for an investigation of civilian casualties from U.S. airstrikes. A video they produced for that project also won two Emmys. His first book, "The Naked Don’t Fear the Water," is about an undercover journey to Europe with Afghan refugees. More about Matthieu Aikins
Read 643 Comments
Share full article
643
Read in app
Advertisement
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
Comments 643America’s MonsterSkip to Comments Share your thoughts. The Times needs your voice. We welcome your on-topic commentary, criticism and expertise. Comments are moderated for civility.