The National Resistance Council strongly condemns the armed attack and shooting at the peaceful civilian protest gathering in Nangarhar Province. We pray for the martyrs to find paradise, for the wounded to have a swift and full recovery, and for the families of the martyrs to find patience and fortitude.
Peaceful protest gatherings are a natural and important right in human societies. The use of coercion, violence, and gunfire against protest gatherings is not only a clear violation of human rights but also damages national trust, worsening the crisis and instability in countries. It is evident that systems are founded on public trust, and no regime based on oppression and cruelty can endure. The Taliban have consistently acted with absolute authoritarianism in the past and over the nearly three years of their recent dominance, challenging and paralyzing the daily lives of the Afghan people across security, political, social, economic, and cultural domains. Their actions have caused countless calamities, and today, voices of protest and hatred echo against them in every corner of the country.
Civil protests demonstrate the growing disgust and hatred of the people toward the Taliban’s rule of ignorance and oppression. Instead of yielding to the legitimate demands of the people, this group resorts to suppression, violence, and the use of force and weapons, indicating their inevitable failure and demise. The brave reactions of the people of Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Nangarhar mark the beginning of a new chapter of freedom struggles for the Afghan people against the illegitimate Taliban rule.
The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan denounces the Taliban group’s shooting at protesters and believes that the protests in Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Nangarhar exemplify the rejection of this group by the people. The continuation of such terror-driven actions by the Taliban will only increase public dissatisfaction, and the group’s downfall will come soon.