Taliban’s “Development” in Kabul Sparks Outcry: Targeted Demolitions Displace Shia Communities with No Recourse
The Taliban’s urban development initiatives in Kabul are facing strong protests and accusations of targeted persecution from residents of predominantly Shia areas.
Under the guise of “street widening,” homes are being demolished, allegedly without adequate compensation or alternative housing, disproportionately impacting the Shia community, Shia Waves Agency reported based on local sources. This discriminatory practice has left hundreds of families homeless, with no clear governmental body offering recourse and deepening concerns about the systematic marginalization of religious minorities.
Local media reports indicate that the Kabul Municipality has issued official notices, demanding residents in areas from Naqash to Omid-e Sabz town in western Kabul vacate their homes within two weeks. This directive has sparked outrage, with local journalists quoting affected families who state that similar projects in the past have resulted in significant losses without any form of compensation or alternative shelter, leaving many in dire straits. These actions are viewed by many as a continuation of the Taliban’s broader pattern of pressure against the Shia Hazara community, further exacerbated by a severe housing shortage and economic crisis.
While residents of areas like Bar Cheh and its surroundings express no opposition to urban development in principle, they are urgently calling for viable alternative solutions for those being displaced. The memory of last year’s demolitions in the Unchi to Company area, which led to the widespread homelessness of many Shia families, remains fresh.
Despite the humanitarian crisis, the Municipality has warned that residents who fail to vacate by the deadline will forfeit their right to complain—a move seen as further stripping the vulnerable of their rights. Social activists in western Kabul openly criticize the caretaker government for a purely instrumental approach to development projects, flagrantly disregarding the rights of citizens, particularly religious minorities. They highlight that homes are being destroyed without any provision for relocation, not even temporary shelters, leaving families literally without a roof over their heads. Observers fear that these unilateral and seemingly discriminatory policies, far from fostering genuine development, are actively contributing to social instability and the persecution of the Shia community in sensitive areas. The affected residents continue to hope their pleas will be heard, but the repeated disregard by authorities is eroding their hope daily, signaling a worrying trend for minority rights in Afghanistan.
