KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban forces have demolished the statue of former Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari and the square dedicated to him in western Kabul.
Sources informed KabulNow that the Taliban destroyed the statue of Mazari and the square last night, September 21.
The Taliban-controlled Kabul municipality confirmed the destruction of Mazari’s statue and the square, claiming it was removed to improve traffic conditions in the area.
The statue and square, named Mazari Square, were built by the former government at the Pul-e-Sokhta intersection, a region primarily populated by ethnic Hazaras.
Abdul Ali Mazari, a prominent Hazara leader and founder of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, was captured and killed by the Taliban in 1995. The former government had honored him with the title “Martyr of National Unity.”
Videos circulating on social media show Taliban forces destroying the statue and the square at night while patrolling the area to prevent people from taking photos or videos.
The Taliban’s action has sparked outrage among the Hazaras, who refer to him as Baba (Grandfather), as well as from politicians and groups opposing the Taliban, arguing that the regime is deliberately destroying symbols representing ethnic groups.
Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, described the Taliban action as “a blatant attack on the jihadist and ethnic identity of a large segment of the Afghanistan population and a hateful act.”
Mr. Mohaqiq added that this action aligns with the Taliban’s “policies of ethnic and religious discrimination and undermines the national unity of the country.”
Ahmad Massoud, leader of the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front (NRF), condemned the Taliban’s actions, emphasizing that such acts cannot erase Mazari’s legacy of fighting for justice and freedom.
Daoud Naji, head of the political committee of the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), another armed anti-Taliban group, wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter):
“By destroying the statue of Martyr Mazari and erasing his name, the Taliban have demonstrated their determination to completely dismantle the fabric of coexistence and national unity.”
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former chief of Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, also reacted to the Taliban’s action saying that behind every Taliban act lies a grand conspiracy that seriously threatens not only national unity but also the future of Afghanistan.
Mr. Nabil added that after witnessing the Taliban’s behavior, he joins the campaign “Stop Hazara Genocide.”
The Taliban destroyed Mazari’s statue in central Bamyan and replaced it with a replica of the Koran in November 2021, a few months after their return to power.
