Herat Clashes Break Out Over Taliban Crackdown On Shia Mourning Sites
Clashes broke out on Monday evening, in the Jebrael area of Herat city after Taliban forces attempted to dismantle Muharram mourning tents, prompting resistance from mourners.
Clashes broke out on Monday evening, in the Jebrael area of Herat city after Taliban forces attempted to dismantle Muharram mourning tents, prompting resistance from mourners.
Local sources told Afghanistan International that at around 10 p.m., Taliban security personnel in the 13th district began removing tents they claimed had been erected outside designated areas. The action triggered objections from participants in the mourning ceremonies, followed by gunfire at the scene.
Videos obtained by Afghanistan International show Taliban forces firing weapons and tearing down the tents.
The incident reportedly followed orders from Taliban authorities to remove tents not located near mosques. Prior to the start of Muharram, meetings were held between Shia religious scholars and Taliban officials to designate specific areas for mourning rituals.
However, local residents claim that the tents removed were set up in pre-approved locations. They say a new directive from Kabul now permits tents only if they are placed directly adjacent to mosques.
In response to the incident, Mohammad Ismail Ahmadi, head of the Shia Ulema Council of Herat, called for calm during a memorial ceremony for the late Shia scholar Mohammad Jafar Tawakoli. He confirmed that discussions were under way with the provincial governor and Taliban officials to resolve the dispute.
Ahmadi reiterated that, under current guidelines, mourners are allowed to erect tents only in close proximity to Shia mosques.
Meanwhile, Azizurrahman Muhajir, head of the Taliban’s Directorate for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat, stated during a meeting with Shia scholars that Muharram ceremonies must be held only in locations authorised by local authorities. His remarks were published by Bakhtar News Agency, the Taliban’s official outlet.
Similar confrontations between Taliban forces and Shia mourners were reported last year during Muharram in the Jebrael area, a predominantly Shia district in Herat.
