KABUL: Gunmen presenting themselves as Taliban attacked a wedding in eastern Afghanistan to stop music being played and killed at least three people, the government said Saturday.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said two of the three attackers had been arrested, and denied they were acting on behalf of the Islamist movement.
“Last night, at the wedding of Hajji Malang Jan in Shamspur Mar Ghundi village of Nangarhar, three people who introduced themselves as Taliban, entered the proceedings and demanded that the music stop playing,” he said.
“As a result of firing, at least three people have been killed and several others have been injured.
“Two suspects have been taken into custody by the Taliban in connection with the incident and one who escaped is still being pursued.
“The perpetrators of the incident caught, who have used the name of the Islamic Emirate to carry out their personal feud, have been handed over to face Sharia law.”
Qazi Mullah Adel, spokesman for the Taliban governor in Nangarhar province, confirmed the incident but did not provide details. A relative of the victims said the Taliban fighters had opened fire while music was being played.
Music was banned the last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan and, while the new government has not yet issued such a decree, its leadership still frowns on its use in entertainment and sees it as a breach of Islamic law.
“The young men were playing music in a separate room and three Taliban fighters came and opened fire on them. The injuries of the two wounded are serious,” the witness told reporters.
“In the ranks of the Islamic Emirate no one has the right to turn anyone away from music or anything, only to try to persuade them. That is the main way,” Mujahid had told a news conference earlier.
“If anyone kills someone by himself, even if they are our personnel, that is a crime and we will introduce them to the courts and they will face the law.”
The previous Taliban government between 1996 and 2001 imposed a very strict interpretation of Islamic law and harsh public punishments.
But, since returning to power in mid-August after overthrowing the US-backed government, the Taliban — seeking international recognition and an end to sanctions — has tried to show a more moderate face.
Three dead as ‘Taliban’ attack Afghan wedding over music
https://arab.news/mu5xj
Three dead as ‘Taliban’ attack Afghan wedding over music
- Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said two of the three attackers had been arrested, and denied they were acting on behalf of the movement
- Music was banned the last time the Taliban ruled and, while the new government has not yet issued such a decree, its leadership still frowns on its use in entertainment
Macron vows stronger cooperation with Nigeria after mass kidnappings
- Macron wrote on X that France “will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations”
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that France will step up cooperation with Nigeria after speaking with his counterpart, as the West African country faces a surge in abductions.
Nigeria has been wracked by a wave of kidnappings in recent weeks, including the capture of over 300 school children two weeks ago that shook Africa’s most populous country, already weary from chronic violence.
Macron wrote on X that the move came at Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s request, saying France “will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations,” while urging other countries to “step up their engagement.”
“No one can remain a spectator” to what is happening in Nigeria, the French president said.
Nigeria has drawn heightened attention from Washington in recent weeks, after US President Donald Trump said in November that the United States was prepared to take military action there to counter the killing of Christians.
US officials, while not contradicting Trump, have since instead emphasized other US actions on Nigeria including security cooperation with the government and the prospect of targeted sanctions.
Kidnappings for ransom by armed groups have plagued Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 school girls in the town of Chibok by Boko Haram militants.
The religiously diverse country is the scene of a number of long-brewing conflicts that have killed both Christians and Muslims, often indiscriminately.
Many scholars say the reality is more nuanced, with conflicts rooted in struggles for scarce resources rather than directly related to religion.
