UN: Over 30 Ismaili prayer halls closed in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan

UN: Over 30 Ismaili prayer halls closed in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan
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The United Nations has reported the closure of at least 33 Ismaili prayer halls in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province over a three-month period, raising concerns over religious freedom and the rights of minority communities.

According to the latest quarterly report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the closures occurred between April and June and affected prayer halls in Zebak, Ishkashim, and Wakhan districts. UNAMA said officials from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice ordered the closures, instructing Ismaili community members to stop using the facilities.

The UN said authorities argued that some of the buildings contained mihrabs and should therefore be considered mosques rather than Ismaili places of worship. UNAMA described the closures as part of wider restrictions affecting religious minorities and freedom of worship in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said the decisions were made on a case-by-case basis after official assessments, noting that some buildings had previously been used as mosques or residential properties.

The closures have intensified international concerns over the treatment of religious minorities in Afghanistan, including Ismaili and Shiite Muslim communities. UN agencies and rights organizations have repeatedly called for the protection of freedom of religion and belief, while Taliban authorities have denied allegations of discrimination.