UN Reports Taliban Force 50 Ismailis to Convert to Sunni Islam in Badakhshan
A recent UNAMA report reveals that at least 50 Ismaili men in Badakhshan province were forced to convert to Sunni Islam by local Taliban authorities between January and February 2025, Amu TV reported.
Those who resisted faced beatings, death threats, and intimidation. The Taliban’s Department for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (PVPV) reportedly conducted nighttime home raids, interrogating men on religious beliefs.
The report also highlights that Ismaili children were compelled to attend Sunni madrassas established by the Taliban in predominantly Ismaili areas, marking an escalation in efforts to enforce religious homogenization.
During Ramadan (March 1–29), Taliban enforcers detained or harassed individuals in several provinces for failing to attend nightly Tarawih prayers. Women in Badghis and Herat were barred from mosque prayers and ordered to pray at home, restricting their public religious participation.
UNAMA condemns these actions as violations of Afghanistan’s international commitments on religious freedom and minority rights. The report calls on the Taliban to end discriminatory practices and urges the international community to protect at-risk religious minorities amid growing repression.
