Taliban’s Governor Who Called Shias Unbelievers, Now Looks To Reassure Them
Protests against the “targeted killing of Hazaras” is gaining ground in Herat.
To pacify the situation, the Taliban’s governor of the province Noor Mohammad Islamjar has told the Shia community elders that there is no prejudice or discrimination in the Taliban's system.
It is however, interesting to note that earlier, the same governor in an Arabic book, had described the Shia sect of Islam as a "takfiri sect" [unbelievers] and "partners of infidels throughout history".
Usually, attacks on Shias, particularly the Hazara Shia community members, have been attributed to extremist groups such as ISIS, who excommunicate Shias and carry out attacks against them.
On December 2, the Taliban’s governor assured Shia and Hazara elders that the group would "protect all Afghans”, attributing such violence to the "divisiveness of enemies”.
However, Islamjar had authored a book in Arabic titled "Investigations into the Maturidite Faith”. A part of the book is dedicated to Shia Islam, and the author's perspective is characterised by hostility, rejecting their religious beliefs.
On Monday, Nisar Ahmad Elyas, Herat governor's spokesperson, confirmed to Afghanistan International that the book had been authored by Islamjar.
On page 174 of the book, Islamjar introduced "Shia" as the "unbelievers’ sect", which according to him "was founded by Abdullah Ibn Saba, the Jew". From his point of view, "belief in Imamate" which is one of the five principles of the Shia sect, requires "denying the end of prophethood, rejection of monotheism, and accepting in the distortion of the Quran”.
The number of Shia sect followers is estimated to be between 154 million and 200 million people worldwide.
Shias comprise majority of populations in Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, Azerbaijan and Yemen. A significant population of Shias also live in Afghanistan. Following the rise of ISIS attacks in Afghanistan, this religious-ethnic group has been continuously targeted by bloody attacks.
The Taliban’s governor for Herat, who describes himself as a senior Taliban thinker and teacher, believes that Shias have historically served as "a tool for the infidels" among Muslims.
It remains unclear to what extent the book reflects the views of other Taliban officials regarding the Shias. However, a source told Afghanistan International that "the book is being taught as an educational source in some Taliban madrassas”.
A large population of Shias and Hazaras live in Herat province, which is bordering Iran. Despite religious and political differences with the Taliban, the Iranian government has a good relationship with this Sunni Islamist group [Taliban].
Shia as unbelievers
Islamjar, in his book, calls Shias as “infields” and accuses them of blaspheming the companions of the Prophet of Islam.
However, he added, "One should be careful in excommunicating all Shias, because there may be people among them who have believed in this sect out of ignorance."
Shias in Afghanistan consider themselves victims of discrimination and oppression. In Afghanistan, they accuse the ISIS and Taliban of genocide.
In countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sunni extremist groups have consistently labeled Shias as "polytheists and atheists”, targeting both individuals and their places of worship.
Although the Taliban governor in Herat did not prescribe violence against Shias in the book, he agrees with the extremist groups that targets Shiites in Pakistan and Afghanistan in calling them as infidels.
In the past two days, Herat has seen protests by Hazaras following the shooting of two clerics and four Shia Hazara women.
Following the incident, residents of Herat protested over the killing of Hazaras and Shias by carrying the corpse of those who were shot in Jebrael area on Friday evening.
In recent months, Herat has experienced a series of assassinations targeting Shia clerics, attributed to "unknown armed men”.
Following the assassinations of Shia clerics in Herat, many have accused both the Taliban and ISIS of targeting them.
Critics said that given the Taliban's 23-year history of discrimination against Hazaras and Shias, the group could be responsible for the recent chain of assassinations of Shia clerics in Herat.
Taliban is accused of massacres and mass killing of Hazaras and Shia civilians in Mazar-e-Sharif city in 1998 and Yakaolang district of Bamiyan province in 2001.
On Monday, the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) announced that three Taliban fighters had been killed and two others were wounded in an attack by its forces on a Taliban checkpoint in the fifth police district of Kabul.
The front posted a video on X social media platform, stating that the attack was carried out on Monday evening. The Taliban's security agencies in Kabul have not yet reacted on the matter.
Recently, AFF has increased its attacks on Taliban positions.
Earlier, the front had announced that its forces killed four members of the Taliban and wounded another in an attack on a Taliban outpost in the Hesa Awal Kohistan district of Kapisa province.
Pakistani media outlets have reported the detention of several Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members by the Afghan Taliban.
These TTP affiliates, originating from the Malakand division, have reportedly been incarcerated, as stated by The Khorasan Diary citing unnamed sources.
Details regarding the exact location and identities of the detained TTP members remain undisclosed by the Pakistani media, which tracks militancy trends within Pakistan. As of now, there has been no official response from Taliban representatives regarding these reports.
Pakistan has consistently accused the Afghan Taliban of providing refuge to members of the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistani authorities have demanded that the Afghan Taliban take decisive actions against the TTP, asserting that the group receives training in Afghanistan and executes terrorist operations in Pakistan.
Three senior officials from the US State Department are scheduled to visit Islamabad this week amidst the extensive deportation of Afghan immigrants from Pakistan.
These visits aim to address the situation of Afghan immigrants and the dynamics between Pakistan and the Taliban. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, indicated that the discussions are part of continuous dialogues with the US on various issues, including Afghanistan's situation.
The Express Tribune reported that Julieta Valls Noyes, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, is due to arrive in Islamabad on Monday to deliberate on Afghan refugee matters. Tom West, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, is expected on 7 December, while Elizabeth Horst, the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Pakistan Affairs, will visit on 9 December. The focus of Tom West's visit will particularly be on Afghanistan's overall situation and the Pakistan-Taliban relationship.
Following the Taliban's refusal to counter the Pakistani Taliban, tensions have risen between Pakistan and the Taliban. The US is reportedly concerned about potential escalations in these tensions, which could destabilise Afghanistan. Additionally, the meetings will address the plight of Afghan immigrants.
The US State Department stated that Noyes will discuss protecting vulnerable immigrants and speeding up the relocation and safe resettlement of Afghan refugees. In the wake of Pakistan's decision to expel over 1.7 million undocumented immigrants, predominantly Afghans, more than 400,000 have already been deported. The US is seeking solutions to prevent the deportation of Afghan refugees who previously worked with the US government in Afghanistan, aiming to resettle them in the US.
The "Vienna Meeting for a Democratic Afghanistan" progressed into its second day on Monday in Austria's capital, drawing a diverse group of attendees.
Notably, the meeting saw the presence of representatives from Western nations, including the United States, Great Britain, Austria, Germany, Spain, and Norway, alongside Taliban opponents.
A key session of the day, titled "The Ways Ahead - Expanding and Strengthening Understanding and Cooperation among Democratic Forces," was scheduled for the morning. This panel invited all Vienna meeting participants to engage in critical discussions.
A significant agenda item was the subsequent panel set for 11:15 am, focusing on completing the development of a "roadmap."
Fawzia Kofi, a former Afghan Parliament member in attendance, conveyed to Afghanistan International their commitment to formulating a roadmap aimed at uniting political and civil groups against the Taliban.
The day was set to conclude with a final panel dedicated to the completion of the Vienna meeting's concluding declaration. Topics of discussion included envisioning the future, rallying democratic forces, and finalising the roadmap.
The meeting's first day was marked by critical evaluations of Taliban policies and calls for increased solidarity among anti-Taliban political groups. The Vienna meeting is slated to conclude on Tuesday.
In a recent report by Hengaw, a human rights organisation, it was disclosed that three Afghan nationals were among those executed in Iranian prisons in November.
The organisation's findings reveal that a total of 122 prisoners of various ethnic groups faced execution in Iran during the last month. The report detailed that the executed included 23 Baloch, 19 Kurds, 8 Turks, 5 Lors and Bakhtiaris, 5 Gilaks, in addition to the aforementioned Afghans.
Hengaw did not provide specific charges for the executed Afghan prisoners but noted that a significant number of the executions were linked to drug-related offences.
The report further highlighted the alarming frequency of these executions, averaging to about 9 every two days in the past month in Iran.
