KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban forces raided the headquarters of Tamadon TV, a private television channel in Kabul, on Tuesday and halted its broadcasts without prior notice, the station announced, amid an ongoing crackdown on media operations in Afghanistan.
In a statement, Tamadon TV said the raid took place at around midday and that its operations were shut down without explanation. It urged the public to follow developments and remain alert to further announcements regarding its operations.
The Taliban authorities have yet to comment on the incident.
In a Facebook statement, Tamadon TV head Mohammad Jawad Mohseni indirectly linked the shutdown to a dispute with the Taliban Ministry of Justice dating back to 2024, when authorities alleged that the station’s headquarters, along with a university and a seminary, were built on government land. He said the matter was referred to a special court for review.
Mohseni stated that the case remains under judicial consideration and that no final ruling has been issued so far. He added that relevant documents had been submitted to Taliban judicial authorities and that some officials had previously indicated the materials did not show fundamental issues, although no formal decision has been announced.
He also said several Taliban ministries had previously sought guidance from the group’s leadership before any enforcement action, and that the case was still awaiting a response from higher authorities. Mohseni described the raid as a “hasty step taken outside the ongoing judicial process, particularly regrettable during the holy month of Muharram, and contrary to broader religious, social, and national interests.”
Tamadon TV, founded in 2006 in Kabul by the late Shiite cleric Sheikh Asif Mohseni, broadcasts news, religious programs, and cultural content. The station has previously faced restrictions and temporary shutdowns under Taliban rule over programming and ownership disputes.
The incident is the latest in a series of actions targeting Afghan media since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Media watchdogs have reported increasing restrictions, detentions of journalists, and pressure on outlets, leading to a sharp decline in press freedom.
Recently, Rah-e-Farda TV, another private broadcaster in Kabul, was forced off the air after Taliban intelligence agents suspended its operations. The station was later allowed to resume broadcasting after obtaining a new licence following changes to its ownership and management structure.
Since 2021, Afghanistan’s once-vibrant independent media sector has largely collapsed, with dozens of outlets closed and hundreds of journalists fleeing the country. The Taliban have imposed strict controls on content, including limits on political reporting and criticism of the authorities.
