Seattle Times: The last time that the militant group ruled the country, in the late 1990s, it outright banned music. So far this time, the government set up by the Taliban hasn’t taken that step officially. But already, musicians are afraid a ban will come, and some Taliban fighters on the ground have started enforcing
"Afghan life is all about color." Afghan women are posting photos of their colorful traditional dress, to challenge the all-black, fully covered image propagated by the Taliban. pic.twitter.com/52jbIcuXjg — DW News (@dwnews) September 13, 2021
Habibullah Shabab found his calling as a singer — but since the Taliban’s return to power, he’s given up performing and instead makes a living as a shopkeeper. The Taliban has not yet imposed a ban on music as it did in the 1990s, but Shabab and others fear such a policy is imminent,
Haroon Bacha Abubakar Siddique Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 29, 2021 Young musician Ahmad Khan says doomsday arrived for him when the hard-line Taliban movement overran the Afghan capital, Kabul — the conclusion of a dramatic sweep across the war-torn country that saw Afghanistan’s pro-Western government melt away. Khan — using a pseudonym for security
Taliban going door to door looking for government employees, taking down names/addresses, disarming people, taking them away, beating musicians, destroying instruments, etc. Taliban fighters beating musicians and destroying their instruments as they go door-to-door searching peoples’ homes in #Kabul, several residents told me. History repeating itself. Taliban banned music during its brutal former regime. —
Ariana: A well-known local comedian, Nazar Mohammad, who was known as Khasha Jawan, was gunned down on Tuesday, allegedly by the Taliban, in Kandahar, sparking widespread condemnation. According to sources, Khasha Jawan was assaulted by the militants before being killed. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News: Ancient sites and artifacts are vulnerable to damage and trafficking due to the ongoing conflicts in various parts of the country, “especially in areas under Taliban influence,” said the acting minister of information and culture, Qasim Wafaeezada. He said most of these artifacts and sites are in Kandahar, Samangan and Balkh. Click here
Tolo News: Archeologists have discovered new relics that dates back to the Buddhist era in the Shewaki area in the eastern part of Kabul city. Eight small Buddhist stupas as well as fortifications, walls and 176 other artifacts have been found in Shewaki. Click here to read more (external link).
Los Angeles Times: The capital’s morning rush hour is a discordant backdrop for the workshop of Izzatullah Neamat. But walk down an alley, sidestep a sewage canal, and there he is: ensconced in the rabble among dozens of rubabs — an ancient instrument that resembles a lute — that have become his life’s work and
Tolo News: For the first time, a completely Afghan-made movie will compete in the Cannes Film Festival in France. The documentary film, named Kocha-e-Parindaha (Birds Street), was funded by Afghan Film and directed by Hizbullah Sultani. Click here to read more (external link).