KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice says that the group’s special court has declared more than 12,500 jeribs (25 square kilometers) of land in Ismail Khil and Mandozai district of Khost province as “state-owned (Emarati).”
In a statement released today (Saturday, May 2), the ministry said that the “Special Court for Addressing Usurped State Land Cases in the Central Zone, after reviewing documents and evidence related to 12,505 jeribs of land located in Ismail Khil and Mandozai district of Khost province, ruled that all the mentioned land is state-owned.”
The ministry added that this land is located in the “Sahra” village of Ismail Khil and Mandozai district and consists of one “cadastral” parcel.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice stated that the “Commission for Prevention of Land Usurpation and Restitution of Usurped Lands” had previously reviewed this land and made a decision. However, based on claims by several individuals asserting ownership, and under Article 17 of the Law on Prevention of Land Usurpation and Restitution of Usurped Lands, the case was officially referred to the “Special Court for Addressing Usurped State Land Cases in the Central Zone.”
The ministry claimed that the special court, “after thoroughly reviewing the documents of the claimants, the commission, property records, and obtaining information from relevant authorities, determined that this land is highland and uncultivated, and according to cadastral records, it has been registered and surveyed in the name of the state.”
According to the statement, “after reviewing all documents and evidence, the court ruled that the entire land mentioned is state-owned.”
The statement added that “the court’s decision specifies that the Commission for Prevention of Land Usurpation and Restitution of Usurped Lands should proceed in accordance with principles regarding this land.”
Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have declared thousands of jeribs of land in various cities and provinces of the country as “state-owned.”
According to a statement published one week ago, the Ministry of Justice said that 1,507.49 jeribs of land (approximately 3.01 square kilometers) in Omid Sabz Township had been reviewed by the same special court, which concluded that all of the land, consisting of five cadastral sections, had been registered and surveyed in the name of the state and had not been transferred to any individual or legal entity.
In addition, the group has initiated a process of reviewing townships in various cities and provinces and has declared several large townships as “state-owned.” However, township owners say that Taliban courts do not pay attention to their documents during the case review process and that these documents are not examined carefully or impartially.
These developments come amid ongoing concerns over property rights and legal transparency in Afghanistan, as critics argue that the lack of an independent judicial system and limited oversight mechanisms may undermine confidence in land adjudication processes and increase disputes between authorities and private landowners.
