RASC News Agency: A group of residents in Herat has condemned the Taliban’s act of decapitating statues of animals and birds in Taraqi Park, labeling it incompatible with the region’s cultural heritage. These residents argue that this Taliban action undermines the cultural identity of Herat, contending that the group neglects the cultural ramifications of its actions and that respect must be accorded to diverse cultures.
A recently circulated video depicts the Taliban destroying decorative statues of animals and birds in Taraqi Park, severing the heads of many of these figures. Taraqi Park is one of the oldest recreational areas in the heart of Herat, historically serving as a gathering place for both men and women seeking leisure. However, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has prohibited women from entering this recreational park, deeming their presence a form of sedition.
Recently, this ministry issued an order to sever the heads of animal and bird statues that had been erected in this location years prior. Residents of Herat view the Taliban’s actions as indicative of regression and a repudiation of civilization. In this context, Massoud Muslim, a local resident, states: “What message of death and terror will a foreigner take back home upon entering Herat? I implore you to remove anything you find objectionable; however, do not tamper with the culture of Herat, nor disrespect its dignity and honor. I reiterate: if you find them offensive, remove the statues entirely, but do not render them incomplete.”
Basir Ahmad Daneshyar, a cultural affairs expert, remarks: “Regrettably, we witness daily restrictions imposed on women. The recent news of the severing of animal and bird statues in recreational parks is a manifestation of the Taliban’s shortsightedness and narrow-mindedness, and action must be taken to halt it.” Simultaneously, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat has demolished one horse statue and over ten duck and bird statues in a single day.
These decapitations occur against a backdrop of extensive restrictions imposed over the past three years, including a ban on women’s outings to recreational areas enacted by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat.
