Reports Allege Removal of Muharram Flags in Kabul, Ghazni and Herat

DID Press: Residents of Kabul, Ghazni and Herat say Taliban authorities have removed Muharram flags and mourning symbols in several areas, with reports alleging the confiscation of banners and the destruction of black mourning cloths associated with commemorations of Imam Hussein (AS).

According to local residents, Taliban personnel have in recent days removed religious symbols displayed for Muharram observances and restricted the public display of mourning banners. Witnesses claim that officials dismantled flags and other commemorative decorations in a number of neighborhoods.

Residents in Kabul’s Dasht-e-Barchi area said officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice began removing Muharram banners from shops, homes and religious gathering sites on Saturday, collecting symbols associated with Ashura commemorations.

Similar reports emerged from Herat, where residents of Haj Qurban Township in the Shidai area said local authorities instructed people to take down Muharram flags. In Ghazni, residents reported that patrols removed mourning banners and damaged black cloths displayed for religious observances.

The reports come shortly after the Shiite Ulema Council of Afghanistan called on the Taliban administration to ensure security for Muharram ceremonies across the country and provide an environment in which Ashura commemorations could be held without restrictions.

Although Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has previously emphasized security measures for Muharram events, observers note that disputes over the organization and visibility of Shiite religious ceremonies have remained a recurring issue in recent years.