Taliban Prevents Nowruz Celebration With Traditional Flag-Hoisting In Kabul
Local sources in Kabul have told Afghanistan International that the Taliban blocked the annual Nowruz flag-raising ceremony in the capital on Friday.
Local sources in Kabul have told Afghanistan International that the Taliban blocked the annual Nowruz flag-raising ceremony in the capital on Friday.
According to the sources, Taliban forces also closed off roads leading to the Sakhi Shrine, a central site for Nowruz celebrations in Kabul.
Several sources reported that Taliban fighters raided the shrine the previous night and expelled its security guards.
The Taliban’s actions come despite prior coordination between event organisers and local Taliban officials, the sources said.
Each year, residents of Kabul mark Nowruz—the first day of the Solar Hijri calendar—by hoisting a ceremonial flag at the Sakhi Shrine. Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, locals have continued the tradition despite a ban on Nowruz festivities.
The Taliban regard Nowruz as “forbidden” and have repeatedly obstructed its observance across multiple provinces. The group has also removed Nowruz as a public holiday from Afghanistan’s official calendar.
Several Afghan opposition leaders used Nowruz to urge unity and resistance against the Taliban. They called for an end to “tyranny and oppression” and pledged to work towards a democratic and inclusive government.
Abdul Rashid Dostum, former vice president and leader of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, said in his Nowruz message that “the patience of the people has run out.” He added that national and international efforts to confront the Taliban are underway and that “strategic plans” are being prepared.
“We will overcome these hardships, end the suffering that has overshadowed our nation, and establish a national government based on freedom and inclusivity,” Dostum stated.
Former vice president Amrullah Saleh also vowed that toppling the Taliban would remain his priority in the new year. He said that Afghanistan under Taliban rule would never achieve dignity, unity, or economic stability. “To build a post-Taliban Afghanistan, we must remain hopeful and prepare ourselves more thoroughly,” he added.
The Justice and Freedom Party, led by Sarwar Danish, said Afghanistan is going through the “darkest days of its history.” The party expressed hope that the new year would bring freedom and justice.
The Jamiat-e-Islami Party, led by former foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, condemned the Taliban’s ban on Nowruz. In a statement, the party said the Taliban had turned a day of celebration into one of sorrow and repression. It called for the establishment of a democratic and just government.
Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front, said Nowruz represents a commitment to resistance. “This day is not just a celebration but a commitment—our commitment to stand firm and never retreat from the path to freedom,” he wrote on social media. He added that the fight against the Taliban keeps “the hope of spring and freedom alive.”
Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, criticised the Taliban’s human rights record. He said Afghans have the right to live in peace like other nations but are instead faced with insecurity and fear.
Nowruz, which marks the Solar Hijri New Year, has been celebrated for centuries across Afghanistan and the wider region. This year, it falls on Friday, 21 March, marking the start of the year 1404 in the Solar Hijri calendar.
Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban have banned public celebrations of Nowruz and removed it as an official holiday. Despite this, many Afghans still observe the occasion in cities across the country.
Pakistani officials at the Torkham border have announced that the crossing will remain closed to travellers and patients on Friday due to ongoing repairs at the immigration office.
In a statement, the Torkham border administration advised travellers and patients to avoid the crossing until normal operations resume. Officials did not clarify the nature of the repairs, but security sources claim that Taliban border forces damaged Pakistan’s immigration systems during recent tensions.
According to the sources, the technical issues are expected to be resolved by the end of the day. The crossing is scheduled to reopen for passengers on Saturday.
The Torkham border was partially reopened on Wednesday after being closed for 27 days. At that time, only cargo trucks and patients were allowed to cross.
The border was originally shut on 21 February following a clash between Pakistani border forces and the Taliban. The dispute arose over the construction of a Taliban checkpoint and the installation of a Pakistani signboard at the zero-point. Two jirga meetings were held between Afghan and Pakistani representatives in efforts to reopen the crossing.
The US State Department has confirmed the release of George Glezmann, an American citizen, from Taliban custody. However, there is still no update on the status of Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American citizen who remains detained by the Taliban.
The State Department reiterated that American citizens are still being held in Afghanistan. Earlier, two separate Taliban sources told Afghanistan International that following increased US pressure, Habibi was transferred to Kandahar about a year ago.
According to the US State Department, Glezmann was freed through diplomatic mediation by Qatar. Before him, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were released in January in exchange for a Taliban prisoner. The agreement for Corbett and McKenty’s release was finalised in the final hours of Joe Biden’s presidency. The Taliban agreed to exchange them for Khan Mohammad, a Taliban member serving a life sentence in the US on terrorism charges. This deal was also brokered by Qatar, which hosted several rounds of US-Taliban negotiations and provided logistical support for their evacuation from Kabul.
CNN reported that US officials had sought to include Glezmann and Habibi in the exchange, but the Taliban refused to release them. The Taliban have not officially acknowledged Habibi’s detention, but the US still considers him a hostage.
According to the US State Department, George Glezmann was employed as a mechanic for Delta Airlines. After the fall of the previous Afghan government, he remained in Afghanistan. He travelled abroad three months before his arrest, but just four days after returning to Kabul, he was detained by the Taliban.
The Taliban accuse Mahmood Shah Habibi of collaborating with the CIA in identifying the hideout of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda, in Kabul. Al-Zawahiri was killed on 31 July 2022 in a US drone strike in the Sherpur area of Kabul.
The Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Adam Boehler, the US Special Envoy for Prisoners, and Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Envoy in Afghanistan, met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul to discuss the release of prisoners.
Muttaqi described the visit as a positive step in the relationship between the Taliban and Washington. This marks the first visit by a US delegation to Afghanistan since the American forces withdrew from the country in August 2021. Previously, US officials and Taliban representatives had met in Qatar and Norway.
The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that Boehler and Khalilzad travelled to Kabul to discuss prisoner exchanges, bilateral relations, and consular services for Afghans in the United States. Muttaqi welcomed the meeting, stressing that the Taliban seeks constructive relations with all countries within the framework of its balanced foreign policy. He highlighted the need for dialogue to resolve issues and build positive political and economic ties, overcoming the effects of the 20-year war.
According to the Taliban Foreign Ministry, Boehler stated that progress in prisoner negotiations is a significant step in fostering trust between the two sides. He also praised the Taliban's efforts in combating drug trafficking and maintaining security. He emphasised the importance of continued dialogue and strengthening relations through negotiations.
In the final days of his presidency, US President Joe Biden intensified efforts to secure the release of American hostages held by the Taliban. In a recent exchange, the US and the Taliban swapped three prisoners: American citizens Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were released in exchange for Khan Mohammad, a Taliban member imprisoned in the United States. Qatar facilitated the exchange.
While meeting with the family of a US hostage, Mike Waltz, the U.S. National Security Advisor, warned that Donald Trump would not show leniency to groups or countries holding American citizens hostage.
The exact number of US citizens currently detained by the Taliban remains unclear. However, Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American and former head of Afghanistan's Civil Aviation Authority, is known to be in Taliban custody. Sources told Afghanistan International that he is being held in one of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s prisons in Kandahar.
Rawadari, a human rights organisation, has exposed widespread violations against ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
In its latest report, the group accuses the Taliban of deliberately denying minorities access to government services, infrastructure projects, and humanitarian aid.
Taliban Interference in Humanitarian Aid Distribution
The report examines Afghanistan’s human rights situation in 2024, highlighting that the Taliban distributes humanitarian aid based on ethnic affiliation and loyalty to the group.
In Badakhshan, no infrastructure projects have been carried out in Ismaili-majority areas, with aid primarily directed to Taliban-controlled regions such as Warduj district. Similarly, in Daikundi, development projects are selectively allocated based on ethnic criteria, while in Bamiyan, Hazara-majority areas have been deprived of humanitarian assistance.
Rawadari cited a relief organisation official in Kandahar who reported that Taliban officials submitted a list of 150 individuals linked to the group when coordinating aid distribution for returnees.
Discrimination in Government Hiring and Exclusion of Minorities
The Taliban has actively prevented ethnic and religious minorities from working in government institutions and has dismissed them from official positions.
The report states that in Herat, all minority employees who worked in government offices under the previous administration have been removed. In Badakhshan, no Ismaili followers remain in government positions across six Ismaili-majority districts. In Nimruz, Shia Muslims have been completely excluded from government offices.
In Kunar, 12 university professors were dismissed for being Salafi. In Ghazni, Bamiyan, and Daikundi, Hazara employees were collectively removed and replaced with Taliban affiliates.
Religious Discrimination and Suppression
The Taliban has systematically removed religious books belonging to minorities from educational and cultural institutions. In Bamiyan, Ghazni, and Daikundi, books related to Jafari jurisprudence have been confiscated from universities and libraries.
In Badakhshan, Ismailis are being pressured to adopt Hanafi jurisprudence. Construction of Ismaili religious sites has been banned in Shighnan and Eshkashem. The report also states that in certain provinces, marriages between Sunni and Shia individuals have been prohibited, with only Sunni men allowed to marry Shia women.
Rise in Forced Disappearances and Targeted Killings
The report highlights a sharp increase in forced disappearances and targeted killings in 2024. Rawadari documented that in 10 provinces, at least 51 individuals have gone missing after being arrested by the Taliban, marking a 70 percent rise compared to 2023.
Most of those targeted are former government employees, human rights activists, and individuals accused of supporting opposition groups. The report also states that at least 91 former government employees and their family members were killed or injured in targeted attacks.
In 2024 alone, at least 885 individuals, including 42 women, were arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned.
Torture and Killings in Taliban Prisons
Rawadari’s findings indicate that at least 20 prisoners have been killed under Taliban custody after being tortured, while 13 others were transferred to hospitals due to severe mistreatment.
The report also states that most women’s prisons lack female staff. Only a few women, mainly guards or inspectors, work in public prisons and return home at night.
The Taliban has claimed that around 20,000 people are currently held in their prisons, mostly accused of collaborating with opposition groups or spreading anti-Taliban propaganda.
Sources in Kabul report a surge in arbitrary arrests. An informed source told Afghanistan International that prisons receive financial support from international organisations, creating incentives for the Taliban to increase the number of detainees. The source alleged that this is why arbitrary arrests have intensified across the country.