Taliban Wants Cash To Settle Land Dispute; Threaten Eviction of Hazaras, If Unpaid

Sources from the Hazara community in Uruzgan province reported that under Taliban pressure, they have paid 15 million of the 30 million Afghanis demanded by the group members for settling a land dispute with Pashtuns.

Residents of Gizab district stated that the Taliban have warned them to pay the remaining 15 million Afghanis within two months or face forced eviction from the area.

According to the sources, the dispute involves approximately 700 acres of fertile land in the Kandir area of Gizab district. The Hazaras claim ownership of the land dating back to the era of Daoud Khan, a former President of Afghanistan. They assert that they have sufficient documentation to prove their ancestral ownership.

In contrast, Pashtuns and Kuchis contend that the land was entrusted to their ancestors by Mohammad Zahir Shah, with disputes over the territory existing even during the previous Taliban regime. The Hazaras argue that the Pashtuns have no evidence to substantiate their claims.

Sources revealed that after the Taliban's takeover in August 2021, Hazaras in the Kandir and Lower Shiobdon areas of Gizab were forcibly displaced. Following public outcry, the Taliban reportedly allowed the Hazaras to return to their homes but insisted that the land dispute be resolved through either the courts or a council of elders.

A decision document, viewed by Afghanistan International and issued in January last year, stated that the Shia community must pay 30 million Afghanis to the Pashtuns within seven months in exchange for the land.

Residents from Gizab claimed that this decision was imposed under Taliban pressure and called it "unfair”. They explained that they have lived in the area for over four decades and feel the Taliban are now "forcing" them to repurchase their land from the Pashtuns.

The Hazaras expressed their reluctance to pay for their own land but felt compelled to comply due to a lack of alternatives.

On July 31, the Hazaras in Gizab managed to pay 15 million Afghanis to the Pashtuns, stating that they struggled to gather the funds, relying on community support.

Images of the payment were shared with Afghanistan International.

The sources reported that the Taliban have now issued an ultimatum, demanding that the Hazaras pay the remaining 15 million Afghanis by October or face forced eviction from the area.

The Hazaras in Gizab stressed that, despite the difficulty of raising the required funds, they are trying to comply to avoid "forced displacement”.

Since the Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan, land disputes between the Taliban and local residents in Hazara-populated and northern regions have intensified.