In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
We extend our condolences to all Muslims worldwide, especially the Muslim people of Afghanistan and the followers of the martyrs of the tragic events of Karbala, on the occasion of the days of Ashura.
This year in Afghanistan, the ceremonies of mourning and the rituals of Ashura are being held under severe pressure from the dominant group, the Taliban, who have imposed unprecedented restrictions on the organizers. In recent days and nights, Taliban gunmen, in addition to insulting and humiliating the mourners of Hussein, have removed Ashura symbols, arrested, and tortured numerous scholars and youths in various parts of the country, causing terror and unrest among the people. Regrettably, this intimidation and violence are carried out under the guise of securing the mourning of Ashura, which itself is a clear example of a crime against humanity and the deprivation of the legitimate freedoms of the people and destroying their psychological security.
According to a unilateral and interventionist directive issued by this group and its infamous agents under the guise of “enjoining good and forbidding wrong,” any freedom in conducting the ceremonies of Ashura has been taken away from its organizers. In this inhumane and oppressive directive, the Ashura ceremonies are limited to only three days, and even the participation of Sunnis has been banned. Additionally, any speech by preachers and speakers at Ashura events that contradicts the retrograde mandates of this group and interviews of Shia scholars and clerics about the Ashura ceremonies and how they are conducted are prohibited. Other bizarre restrictions in this decree have no human or Islamic basis. A few unknown figures with no credibility or minimal social, political, religious, and academic standing among the Shia community have signed this disgraceful regulation, only warranting regret for their actions.
The Supreme National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, while honoring the days of Ashura, strongly condemns the humiliation, insult, arrest, and imprisonment of the mourners of Hussein by the oppressive and Yazid-like Taliban group.
Undoubtedly, imposing unprecedented restrictions on the Ashura mourning ceremonies is part of the Yazid-like oppressions and injustices of this group on the people of Afghanistan, which, unfortunately, is taking place openly in front of the world’s eyes. Regrettably, the world is normalizing these injustices and engaging with the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity. Therefore, we once again call on the countries of the region and the world to listen to the voice of the Afghan people instead of engaging unilaterally with this regressive and oppressive group and to stand with them to dismantle the fabric of oppression and crisis from our country.
Brotherhood and fraternity between Sunni and Shia followers in Afghanistan have so far been a suitable model for all Islamic countries, and we hope that these extremist and bigoted acts by the Taliban group will not adversely affect the good relations and Islamic unity in Afghanistan.