Date: 24/10/1403

Sources in the districts of Khadir and Sangtakht-Bandar in Daikundi Province report that the Taliban closed two English language training centers and arrested several of their teachers. According to sources in Khadir district, Taliban intelligence forces yesterday (Sunday, January 12) arrested the director and two teachers of the “New Horizon” English language center. One source told Etilaatroz newspaper that Sayed Habib, the director of the center, along with teachers Abdul Razaq Taqipour and Asif Rahesh, are currently being held by Taliban intelligence in Khadir. The source added that four female teachers from the “New Horizon” center were also arrested by the Taliban but have since been released on bail. According to the source, the Taliban cited the teaching of English, the promotion of “infidel culture,” failure to comply with the Emirate’s regulations, and the absence of religious subjects as reasons for the arrests. Meanwhile, reliable sources in Sangtakht-Bandar district also report that the Taliban have shut down the “New Horizon” center there and arrested three of its teachers. The individuals named are Asad Halimi, Mahdi Farzad, and Jamaluddin Payman, who have reportedly been in Taliban custody since yesterday.

The closure of New Horizon English language centers and the arrest of teachers in Khadir and Sangtakht-Bandar districts of Daikundi Province by the Taliban demonstrate the criminalization of non-religious education and the securitization of learning. Detentions justified on grounds such as teaching English, promoting “infidel culture,” and non-compliance with Emirate regulations reflect ideological enforcement rather than lawful oversight. The arrest and conditional release of female teachers further indicate gendered coercion and the use of detention to intimidate educators and dismantle independent learning spaces.