Afghanistan

The Heartbreaking Persecution of Musicians Under Taliban Rule

Since the Taliban seized power as a US-led coalition of foreign military forces left Afghanistan in August 2021, they imposed wide-sweeping restrictions against women based on their strict interpretation of Islam and Sharia law.

Birthplace of Martyrs: The Afghan Valley that Idolizes Its Suicide Bombers

The transition from insurgency to governance was never easy for the Taliban when it seized power in Afghanistan after a coalition of foreign forces led by the United States fled in 2021.

Some of the Taliban’s fighters were so used to jihad and fighting they reportedly felt bored when they had to switch their weapons to paperwork. In an Afghan valley that raised some of the organization’s best and most ardent fighters, some regret that they haven’t fulfilled their duties as suicide bombers for the Taliban.

80 Schoolgirls in Afghanistan Poisoned: Disturbing New Assault

On June 4th, a local education official in Afghanistan reported that dozens of schoolgirls were victims of two separate attacks in their primary schools in the northern part of the country. The female students were sent to hospitals after being poisoned.

Will the United Nations Recognize the Taliban’s Afghanistan?

Since taking over Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has struggled to gain recognition from the international community despite aggressively campaigning for it. But this situation may soon change as a top United Nations official discussed the possibility of recognizing the country’s Taliban authorities.

Amina Mohammed, the United Nations deputy secretary-general, said on April 17th that the organization would set up a meeting to talk about granting international recognition to the Taliban, emphasizing the importance of engaging with Afghanistan’s fundamentalist authorities.

Taliban Imposes Face Coverings on Female Students & Teachers in New Policy

The Taliban has recently proposed a strict Sharia-compliant dress code for school students, prescribing long, traditional clothing in different colors that covers the body for male and female students.

The proposed policy comes when the Taliban continues to impose harsh restrictions despite initial promises of a softer rule when the group seized power in August 2021 after the withdrawal of the US-led forces in Afghanistan.

The Taliban Returns to Atrocities: Public Executions & Torture

Two men in Afghanistan were forced to wear a full-length hijab traditionally worn by Afghan women as a form of public “humiliation,” amidst the Taliban’s growing suppression of human rights and implementation of more brutal executions and public punishments after seizing power more than a year ago.

Taliban Bans Contraception, Citing "Western Conspiracy to Control Muslims"

The Taliban has stopped the distribution of contraceptives in two of Afghanistan’s major cities, claiming that their use by women is part of a conspiracy by Western countries to control the Muslim population.

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