RASC News Agency: Local sources from Herat report that the Taliban have forcibly shut down associations and support centers for people with disabilities in the province. On Thursday, September 5, these sources confirmed that the support centers were closed by the Taliban’s Directorate of Martyrs and Disabled in Herat. These organizations had been providing essential aid to individuals with disabilities, with a large number of them relying on the support offered in Herat.
Officials from some of these associations and centers stated that they were operating legally, focusing on the capacity-building and rehabilitation of disabled individuals. According to the officials, their work was centered around supporting the disabled community, and there was no legitimate reason for the closures. However, the Taliban arbitrarily shut down the centers. They have called on the Taliban to reconsider their decision and refrain from shutting down these crucial support institutions.
It remains unclear why the Taliban decided to close these associations and centers, as local Taliban authorities in Herat have not yet commented on the matter. Prior to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, approximately 40 organizations supporting people with disabilities were active in Herat. Since their rise to power, this number had already dwindled to just 10. Now, with the recent closures, even these remaining organizations have been targeted.
This is not the first time the Taliban has taken such arbitrary actions. In other provinces as well, they have similarly shut down various institutions without due process. The group seems intent on ensuring that all organizations operate under their control, a demand that many independent associations find unacceptable.
