The Taliban, which controls most parts of Afghanistan, faced major protests in different parts of the country, less than 24 hours after its top leadership assured inclusivity and peace.
The most intense and violent protest took place in Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar. One of the biggest cities in Eastern Afghanistan, Jalalabad is known to be dominated by Pashtuns, a community increasingly thought to be the backbone of the Taliban movement. According to local media reports, some youth replaced the Taliban flag with the Afghanistan national flag in a busy junction. Videos circulating on social media show that a rally was also taken out by a large number of people, some of whom were seen carrying the Afghanistan national flags. The area is known to be inhabited by current and former Afghanistan government soldiers and police officers.
In one of the videos, a large group is seen resorting to sloganeering and cheering, which was followed by gunshots that forced people to disperse. According to unconfirmed reports, Taliban forces opened fire at the protesters leading to fatalities and injuries. Three people have been killed in the violence, Reuters reported. Few media personnel were also injured, local media reported.
In Khost province, another Pashtun dominated territory, a similar demonstration was held. A large number of people took to streets, symbolically holding flags to oppose the replacement of the national flag with the Taliban banner. However, the protests were peaceful unlike in Jalalabad.
On Wednesday, people of Bamyan province were reminded of the destruction of the giant sixth century Budhha statues, which occurred 20 years back. In the latest incident, the statue of Abdul Ali Mazari, a revered figure for the locals, was razed.
Mazari belonged to the ethnic minority, Hazaras, who were subjected to persecution in the past by successive rulers of the region, including the Taliban. He was a respected leader of the community who participated in the armed resistance against the Soviets. Later, he was part of a political party that backed an interim government. Mazari was known to have championed the interests of Hazaras and later, also pitched for a federal structure in the country which would give specific rights to each ethnicity to administer their own lands. He was killed in 1995 by the Taliban leaders. Five years ago, he was bestowed the title, ‘Martyr of National Unity’ by the Ghani government.
“He was our Gandhi,” said a Hazara social media activist who did not wish to be named. “He was the first person who literally, after two centuries of persecution of Hazaras, started a revolution for equality for the people of Hazara in Afghanistan. He stood against the Taliban and fought bravely until he was captured and killed.”
He feels that the statue was destroyed because Islam is against statues.
A local resident said it was not clear who exactly destroyed the statue as there were multiple factions and leaders under Taliban operating locally. On Wednesday morning, a few Hazara youth assembled near the state and staged a protest. There was also a Facebook post by a local user who said this incident will mark the beginning of a civil movement against the Taliban.
Bamyan province is one of the few provinces in Afghanistan where Hazaras are in majority.
There were online protests too for the actions blamed on the Taliban.
Recently, in northern Afghanistan province of Jowzjan, a recreation centre was set on fire. The videos of raging fire at the Bokhdi park, located in Sheberghan, capital of the province went viral with many blaming the Taliban for the incident.
“The resort was the only centre for gathering, holding sports and cultural programmes in the city,” posted a Twitter user who condemned the alleged actions of the Taliban.
Some locals pointed out that there were idols present inside the park which led to the Taliban taking the extreme step.