Documented incidents of extremism from November 2021 to March 2022
The Taliban government has announced the establishment of a military tribunal to implement religious law in Afghanistan.[1] Human Rights Watch in a report has claimed that more than 100 former Afghan security forces have been killed by the Taliban or have disappeared since the militants seized control.[2]
Restricting women’s rights
Taliban rulers have imposed a dress code for female journalists and have asked TV stations to stop showing soap operas featuring women.[3]
Treatment of minorities
The Taliban have replaced the statue of a Hazara leader declared a national martyr by the former government with a replica of the Koran.[4]
Terror
One person and four others were wounded in an explosion that hit a vehicle in Kabul, in a suburb dominated by the Shia Hazara community- a community that has been targeted by ISIL.[5] The national military hospital was bombed killing at least 19 people and injuring 43 more.[6]
A mosque was bombed in the Nangarhar province during Friday prayers, killing at least three people and wounding 15 others.[7] It is suspected that the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K) – an affiliate of the ISIL (ISIS) was behind the explosion as they claimed responsibility in similar attacks previously.[8] For instance, the ISIS-K claimed responsibility for an attack at a military hospital in Kabul that killed many including a senior Taliban commander.[9]
As a result, the Taliban have deployed hundreds of fighters in the eastern province in its ‘shadowy war’ against the Islamic State.[10]
Foot Notes
[1] ‘Taliban announced military tribunal to enforce Islamic law in Afghanistan’ (TimesNowNews.Com, 11 November 2021) https://www.timesnownews.com/international/article/taliban-announces-military-tribunal-to-enforce-islamic-law-in-afghanistan/830917
[2] ‘Dozens of former Afghan forces killed or disappeared by Taliban, rights group says’ (BBC) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59474965
[3] Farah Najjar, ‘Afghan women speak up against new Taliban media guidelines’ (Al Jazeera, 25 November 2021) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/25/afghan-women-speak-up-against-new-taliban-media-guidelines
[4] ‘Taliban replace Hazara statue with Koran’ (The Hindu, 11 November 2021) https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/taliban-replace-hazara-statue-with-koran/article37444186.ece
[5] ‘Afghanistan: Deadly explosion hits mainly Shia suburb of Kabul’ (Al Jazeera, 13 November 2021) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/13/afghanistan-deadly-explosion-hits-mainly-shia-suburb-of-kabul
[6] ’19 dead in attack on Kabul military hospital; gunmen killed, says Taliban’ (WION, 02 November 2021) https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/19-dead-in-attack-on-kabul-military-hospital-gunmen-killed-says-taliban-426066
[7] ‘Afghanistna: Mosque in Nangarhar province hit by blast’ (Al Jazeera, 12 November 2021) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/12/blast-at-mosque-in-afghanistans-nangarhar-province
[8] Ibid.
[9] ‘Senior Taliban commander, several civilians killed in Kabul hospital attack’ (france24, 02 November 2021) https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20211102-several-injured-in-attack-on-military-hospital-in-kabul
[10] ‘Taliban sends hundred of fighters to eastern Afghanistan to wage war against Islamic State’