Afghanistan: Mazar-E-Sharif Residents Demand Security During Eid

Kabul [Afghanistan] : As the festival of Eid is inching closer, the residents of Mazar-e-Sharif city of Afghanistan have raised demands for tight security at mosques and public places, reported TOLOnews.

They said that they wished to celebrate Eid fearlessly. Notably, Mazar-e-Sharif is the fourth largest city in Afghanistan and the capital of the Balkh province. Speaking to TOLOnews, Ahmad Shakib, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif called out to the Taliban to ensure the security of the mosques and recreational areas.

“We are on the eve of Eid al-Adha. We ask the security forces to ensure the security of the mosques and recreational areas so that people can celebrate Eid without fear,” he said.
Separately, another resident of Mazar-e-Sharif, Abdul Hossein said, “We ask the security forces of the Islamic Emirate to ensure the security of the mosques during the days of Eid.”
Meanwhile, Balkh Security Command officials pledged better security during the nights and days of Eid.

“We reassure the people of Balkh province, especially Mazar-e-Sharif, that our security forces are fully prepared to provide security during the days and nights of Eid,” said Mohammad Asif Waziri, the spokesperson for the Balkh Security Command.
The city of Mazar-e-Sharif has seen a number of tragic events since the Islamic Emirate took control, including the killing of the governor of Balkh.

Since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the law and order situation in the country has only deteriorated, with the rise in cases of terrorism and blasts.
The group banned women from going to schools, and later in December last year, they banned women from going to universities and working with aid agencies. Moreover, Afghanistan is also facing a severe economic crisis after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, that followed by the suspension of international aid and the freezing of more than USD 9 billion in foreign reserves, as per a TOLO News report.