#Taliban issue death sentence for Afghan translator’s brother

The Taliban have issued a death sentence for the brother of an Afghan translator who worked with US troops, a new report says.

The insurgents accused the man of providing security for his sibling and helping the US during the war, according to three letters written by the Taliban and obtained by CNN.

The letters, which were written in Pashto, were delivered to the brother over the past three months.

The first letter ordered the brother to attend a court hearing regarding the allegations and the second was a notice for failing to attend.

The death sentence was handed down in the third letter after the Taliban found him “guilty in absentia,” according to the outlet.

“You have been accused of helping the Americans… You are also accused of providing security to your brother, who has been an interpreter,” one of the letters read.

“These court decisions are final and you will not have the right to object… You chose this path for yourself and your death is eminent [sic], God willing.”

It is not clear if the man or his translator brother are still in Afghanistan.

The death sentence is in stark contrast to Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid’s public comments a week ago when he vowed there wouldn’t be any violence.

“Nobody will be harmed in Afghanistan,” Mujahid said during a press conference. “Of course, there is a huge difference between us now and 20 years ago.”

But reports of targeted Taliban killings have been mounting amid the chaotic US evacuations from Kabul.

Thousands of Afghans — many who helped the US during the war — are continuing to crowd Kabul’s airport where the US are conducting evacuation flights in a bid to escape Taliban rule.

Biden, who is still defending his decision to withdraw despite the botched evacuation, has vowed to get every American and Afghan who helped the US out of Kabul.

Some 28,000 people have been evacuated since the country fell to the Taliban — including 11,000 in the past 36 hours — Biden said on Sunday.

A total of 33,000 have been evacuated since July before the country fell, he said.

Biden conceded that the situation remains dangerous in Kabul, saying: “The security environment is changing rapidly.

“We know that terrorists may seek to exploit the situation and target innocent Afghans or American troops.

“We’re under no illusions about the threat.”