Taliban Demands Cash in Land Dispute, Threatens Hazara Eviction

In Afghanistan’s Uruzgan province, the Taliban is demanding 30 million Afghanis to resolve a land dispute between the Hazara community and Pashtuns, with threats of eviction looming, Afghanistan International reported yesterday.

Under pressure, the Hazaras have already paid 15 million Afghanis but face a two-month deadline to pay the remaining amount or risk forced displacement from their homes in Gizab district.

The dispute centers on 700 acres of fertile land, claimed by the Hazaras since the era of former President Daoud Khan. In contrast, Pashtuns assert ancestral rights granted by Mohammad Zahir Shah. After the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, many Hazaras were forcibly displaced but were later allowed to return, provided they resolve the land issue.

Residents describe the Taliban’s demands as unfair, stating they are being coerced into repurchasing land they have occupied for over four decades. Community members are struggling to gather the funds, relying on mutual support to avoid eviction.