Forced Evictions of Hazara Families in Bamyan Spark Accusations of Ethnic Cleansing
Forced Evictions of Hazara Families in Bamyan Spark Accusations of Ethnic Cleansing
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Report:
A recent wave of forced evictions targeting Shia Hazara families in Bamyan province, central Afghanistan, has sparked widespread outrage and renewed accusations of ethnic cleansing under Taliban rule. According to local and human rights sources, 25 Hazara families were expelled from their homes in the village of Rashk in the Panjab district.
The operation was reportedly carried out by armed Kuchi tribesmen with the support of Taliban forces. Witnesses say families were forcibly removed, their belongings thrown outside, and their homes handed over to Kuchi families.
The evictions followed a Taliban court ruling in favor of the Kuchis in an ongoing land dispute, a decision described by many local residents as discriminatory and unjust. Despite appeals filed with higher courts, the eviction order was enforced by Bamyan governor Abdullah Sarhadi, an ethnic Pashtun, prompting criticism of the judiciary being used as a tool for land appropriation.
Afghanistan’s acting UN envoy, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, condemned the actions as a violation of Islamic principles and human rights, stating that forced seizure of property without legal basis or compensation is unlawful. Similarly, the Afghan Citizens’ Party labeled the events as “clear ethnic cleansing,” accusing the Taliban of using the Kuchis to deepen ethnic and economic divisions.
Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the Islamic Unity Party, dismissed the court ruling as politically motivated and lacking legitimacy. He called for real resistance, asserting that the Taliban responds only to pressure, not legal or moral appeals.
A growing number of political, legal, and civil society voices within Afghanistan are urging international intervention. They have called on the United Nations and human rights organizations to launch an independent investigation and send fact-finding missions to Hazara areas to document violations.
Former Bamyan governor Mohammad Tahir Zohair condemned the evictions as a blatant abuse of power against marginalized communities, demanding an immediate halt and accountability for those responsible.
The Hazaras, one of Afghanistan’s largest ethnic minorities, have long faced sectarian discrimination and targeted violence. The latest incident highlights the community’s ongoing vulnerability under Taliban governance and raises serious concerns about the future of ethnic harmony and civil rights in the country.
