8am: Some residents of Naw Abad township in the center of Ghazni and residents of Omid-e Sabz township in the sixth district of Kabul city, which is predominantly populated by Shiites, are complaining about biased and one-sided treatment from Taliban officials at the Ministry of Justice and the Commission for the Prevention of Land Usurpation
Afghanistan International: The Bolaq Analysts Network said in a new report that Hazaras have faced widespread security, political, economic, religious and cultural challenges during the five years of Taliban rule. The report, titled The Human Rights Situation of Hazaras in the Fifth Year of Taliban Rule, was published to coincide with the fifth anniversary of
Afghanistan International: Taliban Justice Minister Abdul Hakim Sharaei has rejected allegations of “systematic discrimination” and attempts to forcibly displace Hazaras, saying land recovery is a legal matter unrelated to ethnicity or religion. His remarks came after the Taliban Justice Ministry had earlier declared Omid-e Sabz township in Kabul state property and ordered residents to leave
Afghanistan International: A Fatemiyoun Division commander told Afghanistan International on Tuesday that he and hundreds of fighters under his command were ready to fight the Taliban. The commander said that any anti-Taliban group able to provide sufficient resources could mobilise hundreds of his fighters under its banner for operations against the group. The Fatemiyoun commander,
Khaama: Farhad Darya called for greater acceptance of Afghanistan’s ethnic and cultural diversity during a gathering marking Hazara Culture Day in Washington, D.C. Speaking Sunday at the event, Darya said he hopes a day will come when “no child fears because of identity and no mother cries because of her child’s ethnicity.” Click here to
8am: Pakistani media outlets have reported that four members of the Shia Hazara community were killed by unknown gunmen in the country. The Khorasan Diary reported that the incident occurred on Sunday, April 12, in the Hazarganji area of Quetta, Balochistan province. According to the report, the attackers fled the scene after opening fire. Click
Khaama: Former Afghanistan Prime Minister Sultan Ali Keshtmand has died in London on Friday, March 13, according to a statement confirmed by his brother on the family’s official Facebook page. Keshtmand, who was the first member of Afghanistan’s Hazara community to become prime minister, played a prominent role in the country’s political leadership during the
NYT: A triumph in indoor soccer has turned Alireza Ahmadi, 17, and other players from the Hazara minority, long marginalized in Afghanistan, into national heroes. Click here to read more (external link).
New Lines Institute: Since the Taliban takeover, Shia-Hazaras have faced escalating violence affecting places of worship, schools, workplaces, and daily life. They are excluded from the Taliban’s government and are subjected to systemic economic marginalization and widespread religious discrimination. Terrorist attacks and mass killings targeting the community have become more commonplace. In the three years
Khaama: It emphasizes that the Taliban failed to protect places of worship in Afghanistan over the past year. The State Department’s annual report also mentions the declining Sikh and Hindu populations, attacks on Shia mosques, and assaults on Hazaras. It cites historical events, including the killing of a Salafi cleric in Kapisa in 2023, prompting