Taliban Sets Evacuation Deadline for Kabul’s Omid Sabz Housing Complex
The Taliban administration’s decision to declare over 1,500 jeribs of land in Kabul’s Omid Sabz housing complex as “emirate property” and set a deadline of August 6 for its evacuation has put thousands of residents at risk of losing their homes and investments.
The Taliban Ministry of Justice has labeled the complex as government-owned land and requested residents to vacate their homes by Thursday. A specialized Taliban court in Kabul stated that the case review process took over a year.
In response, Mohammad Nabi Khalili, the owner of Omid Sabz housing complex, issued a statement saying the complex was built based on valid religious contracts, official ownership documents, and legal permits, with all due legal procedures followed. He emphasized that after the court ruling, he pursued legal avenues including filing formal objections, requesting document reviews, and engaging in talks with relevant authorities.
Khalili warned that any decision made without adherence to principles of fair trial could undermine public confidence in the judicial system and citizens’ legal security. He called on the Taliban Supreme Court, religious scholars, and legal experts to impartially review the case and urged the United Nations and human rights organizations to monitor the issue.
The decision has also sparked political reactions. The Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, led by Karim Khalili, condemned the forced displacement of the complex’s residents, describing it as incompatible with justice and citizens’ legal security. The party highlighted that thousands of families have invested in the area based on valid documents.
The party’s statement noted that the Taliban administration had previously canceled permissions for some Shiite-dominated housing complexes and shut down several Shiite-affiliated mosques, religious schools, media outlets, and universities across various provinces. Karim Khalili warned that continuing such policies might increase distrust and widen social and ethnic divides in the country.
Omid Sabz housing complex is situated in western Kabul, a region that in recent years has hosted numerous residential projects and is home to thousands of families.
