Afghanistan: US commission finds religious freedom 'drastically deteriorated' under Taliban rule

The country has faced a worsening economic and humanitarian crisis for more than a year since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan. A US panel finds that the conditions for religious freedom have also worsened with the insurgent group’s enforcement of its version of Islam.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom said Tuesday that freedom of religion in Afghanistan has “drastically deteriorated” under Taliban rule. The panel found that the Sunni Muslim Taliban’s “harsh enforcement” of their version of Islam violates the religious freedom of many Afghans.

The panel that was established issued its report nine days after the insurgent group marked its one-year anniversary of retaking Kabul and returning to power on the heels of the US-led military withdrawal that put an end to almost 20 years of conflict. The assessment noted that the Taliban pledged to protect all ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan.

“Religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan have drastically deteriorated,” with the insurgent group reinforcing “harsh restrictions on all Afghans” based on their hardline interpretation of Islam.

Those who are negatively affected by this include religious minorities, Afghans who have different interpretations of Islam, those who do not practice any faith, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The report went on to note that the Taliban is responsible for the deaths of dozens of the Hazara ethnic minority that practice Shiite Islam, by failing to protect them from attacks from its rivals, the regional faction of the Islamic State militant group.

Both Taliban and the Islamic State have also targeted Sufis, who practice mystical Islam, and the report noted that the insurgent group denied “the existence of a Christian community” that worships in hiding.

Previously, three sources familiar with the matter said the administration of US President Joe Biden would move forward with discussions on releasing the billions of dollars of Afghanistan’s foreign-held assets.

The decision to move forward also comes despite frustrations with the Taliban and Afghan central bank, as well as the presence of late al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul.

The decision also is in light of the concern in Washington over Afghanistan’s economic and humanitarian crisis, as the United Nations has warned that nearly half of the 40 million people in Afghanistan risk suffering “acute hunger” in the coming winter months.