KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban intelligence agents have closed an English language center in central Ghor province and arrested its director and four teachers, including a female teacher, local sources have confirmed.
The “Ufoq Jadid” center, located in the Lal wa Sarjangal district of Ghor province, was closed on Saturday, January 25.
Sources told KabulNow that the center had previously operated under the name “JRS,” supported by an international organization. However, after the Taliban closed the organization, the center rebranded as “Ufoq Jadid.”
The reasons behind the closure of the center remain unclear, and local Taliban authorities have yet to comment.
The closure is part of a broader pattern of the Taliban restricting educational opportunities across Afghanistan. In recent years, the group has shut down numerous educational institutions, including language centers, in various provinces. Two weeks ago, two English language centers in central Daykundi province were also closed, with their teachers arrested.
These actions are also part of the Taliban’s ongoing campaign to limit access to education, particularly for women and girls. Since the group’s return to power in August 2021, it has imposed significant restrictions on women’s rights, including banning secondary education for girls.
Despite pressure from the United Nations, human rights organizations, and the international community, including from Muslim-majority countries, the Taliban has shown no signs of reversing its stance.
