Taliban Adviser Responds to Criticism for Not Labelling Kerman Blasts as 'Terrorist'

The council, representing the Shia community, has presented over 20 demands to the Taliban, including the official recognition of the Shia Jafari school and upholding the personal status law for Afghan Shias.

Despite several meetings with Taliban officials since the group's takeover in August 2021, there has been no clear response to these demands. The Taliban's latest stance, according to sources, suggests that the decision lies with Mullah Hibatullah. However, attempts to secure a meeting with him have been unsuccessful.

The council has been actively seeking to address issues facing Shias, particularly the reopening of girls' schools and political representation. However, their demands have largely been unmet, with the Taliban nullifying the personal status law and imposing restrictions on Shiite ceremonies.

Maulawi Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, has met with the council members, promising to address their concerns. Yet, despite these assurances, tangible results have not materialized.

Furthermore, the current Taliban cabinet lacks representation from Shiite or Hazara communities. In 2021, the Taliban formed a commission for Shia members to address their demands, but the council criticized the move for not including Shia scholars.

Despite challenges, including a Taliban attack on a Shia Ulema Council gathering in Kabul in May 2022, the council has expressed support for the Taliban government, with deputy Mohammad Akbari pledging allegiance to the group.

Mujahid said that the group's actions align with legal standards and adhere to the principles of Islamic Sharia.

Previously, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) urged the Taliban to cease the "arbitrary arrests" of advocates of girls' education. UNAMA emphasised that rights to family, lawyers, care, fair trial must be upheld.

During the past two and a half years, the Taliban has detained numerous journalists, civil activists, and advocates for girls' education.

UNAMA specifically mentioned Ahmad Fahim Azimi and Sadiqullah Afghan, both education activists, as well as Munizha Sediqi, a women's rights activist. The organisation expressed deep concern regarding their current situations.

In response to this request, Zabihullah Mujahid said, "Be assured that no one will be detained arbitrarily, and no individual will be detained without precise and comprehensive information."

He emphasised, "If an individual has been arrested through legal channels, it is the judiciary that has exercised its authority in accordance with the law."

These statements are issued while human rights institutions have previously expressed concern about the collapse of Afghanistan's judicial system and the legal vacuum in the country.

Following the takeover of power in August 2021, the Taliban nullified constitution of Afghanistan. The group has not succeeded in introducing a new constitution yet.

During a recent media briefing, Vahidi clarified that sealing the border involves various measures beyond just building a wall. The plan encompasses multiple strategies to secure the border effectively.

The implementation of this border sealing initiative is being managed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces, along with various military and law enforcement forces of Iran. Vahidi highlighted certain areas along the Afghanistan and Pakistan borders that require urgent attention.

Earlier, Majid Fakhri, head of the Geographic Organisation of the Iranian Armed Forces, emphasised that the primary objective of this plan is to restrict movement across the border. He mentioned that Iran has engaged in several rounds of negotiations with the Taliban to identify key points forsealing.

As of now, the Taliban has not issued any statements regarding this development.

Kabulov told TASS news agency that in this meeting, representatives from different countries will talk about Afghanistan.

In May, the United Nations convened a meeting with the participation of special representatives from various countries to discuss Afghanistan. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, had announced during the meeting that another gathering focusing on Afghanistan would be hosted in the future.

TASS news agency quoted Zamir Kabulov as stating that Moscow's format on Afghanistan will be held in the fall of 2024.

The Moscow format was established in 2017 as a six-party consultative mechanism involving the special representatives of Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, and Pakistan.

The main objective of this programme is to “facilitate the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan and secure peace in that country”.

They have voiced concerns over Afghanistan becoming a hub for international terrorists, stressing the urgency for regional co-operation to combat this threat.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai; Abdullah Abdullah, ex-Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation; Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front; Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former national security adviser; and Hanif Atmar, former foreign minister, are among those who have publicly reacted to the incident.

In a social media statement, Ahmad Massoud remarked, "Terrorism has long tormented our region and continually harms our people." He noted Afghanistan's status as a refuge for regional and international terrorist groups and urged a collective regional fight against extremist ideologies.

Dadfar Spanta emphasised the need for regional solidarity in the battle against international terrorism, declaring, "Terrorism and its supporters must not be appeased; tolerance cannot eradicate terrorism."

Rahmatullah Nabil, former head of the National Directorate of Security, criticised Iran's interactions with the Taliban in light of the Kerman explosions, calling civilian killings a heinous crime.

Hanif Atmar expressed solidarity with Iran, stating, "Afghanistan stands with Iran in this difficult time with complete solidarity and shared grief."

The Afghanistan Freedom Front also responded, empathising with the victims and urging global and regional stakeholders to take a firm stance against terrorist organisations, including the Taliban.

No group has claimed responsibility for the Kerman explosions. The Iranian government has accused Israel of involvement, an allegation Israel denies. Previously, ISIS has carried out several terrorist attacks in Iran.