Taliban Forced Shia Clerics To Offer Eid Prayers On Friday in Balkh

Shia clerics and politicians reacted to the Taliban forcing the Shia community to perform Eid prayers on Friday. Sayed Haidar Hashemi, a Shia cleric in Mazar-i-Sharif, on Saturday, said that the Taliban forced several Shia clerics in Balkh to offer Eid prayers on Friday.

Hashemi told worshipers at the Soltania mosque, “We have a document that our friends in different areas forced Shia clerics to perform Eid prayers; they interrogated those who didn’t pray as the Taliban wanted.”

He added, "One of our clerics, Seyyed Qasim Zahedi, who is present here, was summoned by the brothers of the Islamic Emirate yesterday evening because he did not offer the [Eid] prayer."

Hashemi stressed that Shia believers have minor differences with the Sunni followers of Islam and the Taliban must respect it.

Hashemi also said that Shia community members held Eid prayers in Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, and Herat on Saturday.

The Supreme Court of the Taliban announced on Thursday evening that Friday is Eid al-Fitr, but most Shia did not celebrate Eid on Friday.

There were reports from various parts of Afghanistan on Friday that the Taliban forced Shia Muslims to break their fast or participate in Eid prayers.

Mehdi Rasakh, a former member of the Afghan House of Representatives, said that the Taliban set up checkpoints in Nili city, the capital of Daikundi province, to force people to break their fast on Friday.