علی حسینی

Afghanistan’s Shia clerics say Taliban rule has failed to honor promises of equal treatment, citing the removal of Ja’fari jurisprudence from education, restrictions on religious practices, exclusion from provincial ulema councils, limited state representation, and the closure of Tamadon TV and the Khatam al-Nabieen center. They also criticize requirements for Shia university students to pledge adherence to Hanafi jurisprudence and the Taliban’s public emphasis on a single Islamic school. Taliban authorities maintain that Shias are free to practice their religion and say restrictions on Muharram symbols are security measures intended to protect them from ISIS attacks. The dispute has left Shia leaders frustrated that their demands and repeated requests to meet Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada have received little attention.

Koshiro Tanaka, a Japanese martial artist, travelled to Afghanistan in the 1980s to fight alongside the Mujahideen against Soviet forces, driven partly by a personal search for death and partly by resentment toward Soviet actions in Japan’s Kuril Islands. He trained fighters, participated in combat, supported Afghan refugees financially, and lived in Afghanistan for more than six years, often facing life-threatening situations. Tanaka recalls his deep respect for Afghan culture and hopes for a peaceful and united Afghanistan, while also expressing concern about Japan’s cultural direction.