Taliban Claims Over 20,000 Visitors at Militant Cemetery in Balkh During Eid al-Fitr

The Taliban-appointed governor’s spokesperson in Balkh has announced that over 20,000 people visited a shrine and cemetery of Taliban fighters killed during the group’s first period of rule, during the Eid al-Fitr holidays. Haji Zaid shared these figures on his X (formerly Twitter) page yesterday.

According to him, the shrine was constructed under the orders of Mullah Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban governor of Balkh, and has now become a site for visitors and affiliates of the group. He described the location as a pilgrimage site but did not provide any information about the construction costs or funding sources.

Previously, the Taliban administration has emphasized its narrative of past conflicts, claiming that several of its fighters were killed in groups after the fall of their initial rule in 2001. The establishment and expansion of such cemeteries and shrines are viewed as part of the administration’s efforts to highlight its official narrative of that period.

In recent years, senior Taliban officials have allocated significant budgets and resources towards building mosques, religious schools, and cemetery complexes. This comes despite millions of Afghan residents living below the poverty line or being at risk of poverty, facing serious livelihood challenges.

Critics argue that given the severe economic conditions, financial priorities should focus on improving citizens’ living standards and addressing basic needs. Nevertheless, evidence shows that the construction and expansion of such religious and symbolic sites remain at the top of the Taliban administration’s agenda.