The U.S. State Department released its annual “International Religious Freedom” report on Wednesday.
The report highlights that religious minorities in Afghanistan faced violent attacks and widespread discrimination last year.
During the presentation of the annual report, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that millions worldwide lack religious freedom.
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 thousands of Salafi followers to leave Afghanistan after Taliban control.
The report details massacres, torture, forced displacement of Hazaras by the Taliban, and seizure of their lands and homes across multiple provinces.
Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan under Taliban rule express concerns for their safety and fear torture if they complain to the courts.
The report notes that after Taliban control, over 900 Sikh and Hindu citizens left Afghanistan, leaving only six behind to protect their places of worship and sacred texts.
According to a Christian rights organization cited in the report, “The Taliban seek the complete eradication of Christianity or any religious minority from the country.”
The report highlights the ban on teaching Shia jurisprudence in all schools nationwide, with no Shia clergy participating in national religious councils.
Additionally, the Taliban banned the celebration of Eid al-Ghadir in Kabul, Balkh, Herat, and Daykundi provinces in 2023.
The State Department reports that the Taliban developed an extremist school curriculum with military training. It cites suicide bombings in Baghlan, an attack on a Kabul sports club, and a bomb blast on a Hazara minibus, highlighting ongoing targeted violence.
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