The Taliban has fired hundreds of men from Afghanistan's security forces due to their inability to grow beards, according to a report by The Telegraph. The notorious ministry for the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice revealed this information along with other updates in its annual report.
During a press conference in Kabul, Mohibullah Mokhlis, the ministry's director of planning and legislation, stated that "281 beardless officers were identified, confirmed, and dismissed" from the country's security services over the past 12 months. He added, "The hairstyles of 450 military mujahideen were corrected to comply with Sharia law. And some who repeated the [hairstyle] violation were sent to military courts."
The Taliban has prohibited barbers in several provinces from shaving or trimming beards, claiming that the edict aligns with Sharia law. According to Islamic law, which is strictly upheld by the Taliban, it is mandatory for Muslim men to have a beard that is at least the "length of a fist."
The Taliban dismissed more than 280 members of its security force for their failure to grow beards. pic.twitter.com/jpIY1nlsEF
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One former Taliban security officer, who was recently dismissed, complained, "I cannot grow a beard, and they constantly called and harassed me. Around three months ago, the commander told me that I could no longer stay in the unit because of my beard." He added, "I joined them for financial reasons, but throughout my year with them, I faced lots of harassment over my inability to grow a beard. They would say I wasn't a true Muslim."
The officer also mentioned that about 10 other people were dismissed on the same day, including middle-aged men with significant experience, solely due to their inability to grow beards.
In addition to the beard-related dismissals, the Taliban regime disclosed that 21,328 musical instruments had been destroyed in the past year. Jalil Ahmad, a former guitar teacher in Herat, recounted how morality forces had stormed his home earlier this year and beaten him for owning several musical instruments.
Ahmad described the incident: "They knocked on the door, and I saw them through the window. I told my family not to open it, but one of them climbed over the gate and jumped into the yard. He unlocked the door, and five more officers stormed into the house." The 31-year-old was then taken to a police station, where he said he had been severely beaten.
Officials reported on Tuesday that more than 13,000 Afghans had been detained for "immoral acts" over the past year, with half of those having been released after 24 hours.
The morality ministry, which has faced criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations for its restrictions on women and limitations on freedom of expression, also announced that a new plan was being developed to ensure compliance with Islamic dress rules. This plan will be overseen by Supreme Leader of Afghanistan Hibatullah Akhundzada.
