Afghans Should Return to Their Own Country & Rebuild It, Says Iranian Minister

The sources indicated that there have been casualties on both sides, with the use of both light and heavy weapons.

Sources from Khost informed the Pashto section of Afghanistan International that the clashes began around 1pm along the border in Zazai Maidan district.

According to the sources, the clashes erupted after the Taliban began constructing facilities on their own territory, who were then attacked by Pakistani border forces.

This marks the second clash between the Taliban and Pakistani forces in the past three days. On Saturday, September 7, both sides engaged in a serious skirmish at the border in Khost province. While neither the Taliban nor Pakistan officials officially commented on the clash, sources confirmed that at least eight Taliban members were killed, and five people were wounded at a Pakistani security post.

Sources in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also confirmed Monday's border clash, stating that both sides used heavy weapons.

Reportedly, the Pakistan Air Force was also present in the area.

Local sources in Khost revealed that due to the ongoing clashes over the past few days, many local residents have fled their homes.

The Taliban official emphasised that any books that contradict Hanafi jurisprudence should be removed.

In a statement released on Monday, September 9, the Taliban's Ministry of Education announced that Habibullah Agha conveyed this directive through a video conference with the heads of provincial education departments.

The statement noted, "Books that are in contradiction with the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah and Hanafi jurisprudence must be collected and their reports sent to ministry’s headquarters."

It also mentioned that the supervision of libraries in various educational institutions across different provinces will commence soon.

While the Taliban have repeatedly claimed to respect all religious sects in Afghanistan, critics argue that the group's ideology is hostile towards those who do not align with their strict interpretation of Islam.

Previously, religious scholars and some followers of the Shia sect of Islam accused the Taliban of violating the rights of Shia Muslims.

In August last year, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development stated that the Taliban had restricted the religious freedom and beliefs of Shia Muslims.

Key demands from the Shia Ulema Council of Afghanistan to the Taliban include the recognition of the Jafari school of thought, the teaching of Jafari jurisprudence in universities and schools for Shia students, and meaningful participation of Shia Muslims in governmental positions.

Mohammad Akbari, deputy head of the Shia Ulema Council of Afghanistan, said in March last year that the demands of the Shia community had been communicated both in writing and verbally to the Taliban leadership, but they remain unaddressed.

According to Haalvsh, the Afghan prisoner, Noor Mohammad Noori, was executed on charges related to drug trafficking.

In a statement released on Monday, September 9, the rights group confirmed the identities of three others of the executed individuals, Saeed Hassan-Zehi, Farzad Sanchouli, and an individual with the last name "Ruidini”. The identities of the two other prisoners remain undisclosed.

The organisation reported that the prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement two days before their execution and had a final in-person meeting with their families on Monday morning.

Haalvsh also reported that one of the executed individuals, Noor Mohammad Noori, was an Afghan national who had been arrested in 2020. Originally from Nimroz province in Afghanistan, he was married and had children.

The charges against the other executed prisoners were also related to drug trafficking.
The Iranian government has not yet commented on the execution of these individuals.

No details have been released about the legal proceedings or whether the prisoners had access to legal counsel.

Previously, Iranian authorities had stated that approximately 6,000 Afghan nationals are imprisoned in Iran on various charges.

According to Kazemi Qomi, one of the key issues where the Taliban is cooperating is the construction of a wall along the Iran-Afghanistan border.

As reported by Iran's state news agency IRNA, Qomi stated that the physical closure of the border has "begun both on the Afghanistan and Pakistan borders”.

Kazemi Qomi, who also serves as the special representative of the Iranian President for Afghan affairs, discussed the latest developments regarding the physical closure of the Iran-Afghanistan border in an interview with IRNA. He said, "Border security is one of the areas where we are cooperating with the interim Afghan government. We are also collaborating with the interim government on counterterrorism, combating drug trafficking, and other matters."

The ambassador added that due to the length of the eastern border and the extensive nature of the wall construction, completing the physical closure of the border will take time. He noted, "In any case, security plans along the border are currently being implemented, and cooperation with the interim Afghan government is part of that."

Iran is one of the primary destinations for Afghan migrants, many of whom have left Afghanistan due to the deteriorating security, economic conditions, and educational restrictions imposed by the Taliban. Over the past three years, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled to Iran.

At the same time, as Afghan migration to Iran has increased, the Islamic Republic has intensified efforts to collect and deport undocumented Afghan migrants, with large numbers being expelled daily.

One of the major reasons for the physical closure of the Afghanistan-Iran border is to prevent the illegal entry of Afghan migrants and drug traffickers into Iran.

Citing security sources, the reports claim that two senior Taliban commanders were among those killed in the exchange of fire.

The Taliban's Ministry of Defence is yet to comment on the incident or confirm the reported casualties.

Local sources informed Afghanistan International that the skirmish occurred for the second time in a week in the Zazi Maidan district of Khost province, in which both sides reportedly used heavy weaponry during the confrontation.

According to Geo News and Radio Pakistan, the Taliban allegedly launched an attack on Pakistani military checkpoints. Afghan sources also reported that a Taliban-fired mortar shell struck a security post in Kurram Agency, injuring five individuals, including a Pakistani military officer.

The Pakistani military has not confirmed any casualties among its personnel.
State-run Radio Pakistan accused the Afghan Taliban of aiding "terrorist attacks against Pakistan" and "violating internationally recognised borders”.

Afghanistan does not recognise the Durand Line as an official border, referring to it as a "hypothetical line”. The lack of an agreed-upon border between the two countries has been cited as a major factor in the recurring border clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces.

In the last three years, Taliban and Pakistani forces have clashed multiple times, often over disputes regarding the construction of security posts along the border.