Taliban Orders Shias To Hold Muharram Mourning Ceremony At Secure Religious Centers
In the latest move of implementing restrictions on Shia practices in Afghanistan, the Taliban governor in Kabul announced that Shias can only hold mourning ceremonies during the month of Muharram at mosques and other religious centers that “have no security risks”.
The Taliban’s new restriction imposed on Muharram ceremonies comes even though on Tuesday the Shia Ulema council had expressed dissatisfaction with the Taliban’s restrictions on the Shia religious ceremony across Afghanistan.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the Kabul governor and the Taliban’s interior ministry promised that they will ensure security during the mourning ceremonies of Shias during the month of Muharram. In the statement, the Taliban asked Shia youth to cooperate with the group in providing security for the Shia religious ceremony.
While the Taliban have previously ignored any threats from the ISIS in Afghanistan, now close to the month of Muharram, the group has warned that ISIS plans to attack the Shia community members.
The Taliban has claimed that it has imposed restrictions on the Muharram ceremony in consultation with Shiite representatives. However, in response to the Taliban’s claim, on Tuesday, the Shia Ulema Council asked the Taliban to lift the restrictions imposed, so that Shia communities could hold the mourning ceremony during Muharram like the previous years.
