Afghan Teacher Accuses Taliban of Using Religion to Pursue Ethnic Agenda

August 22, 2026 at 8:38 PM
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KABUL, Afghanistan: An Afghan teacher in Kabul has accused Afghanistan’s Taliban regime of using religion as a cover for ethnic objectives, saying the group’s conduct since returning to power has exposed its true nature.

Nawidullah Fitrat, a university professor, made the remarks in a live video posted on his Facebook page on Friday, warning that it could be his last public message. “This may be my last video, but I will tell the truth before I die,” he said.

In the video, which was broadcast live on his Facebook page, Fitrat accused the Taliban regime of placing a religious mask over ethnic objectives and called on the regime to “remove its religious mask” and “separate religion from politics”.

Fitrat said the Taliban regime had left no hope for the people of Afghanistan and that opportunities had disappeared since the group returned to power.

He also accused the Taliban regime of contributing to killings and destruction in Afghanistan during the years of war before its return to power.

He said Afghans had eventually been given an opportunity to establish a representative government and lay down their weapons, but that the Taliban had been responsible for the destruction of schools, universities, bridges and other infrastructure.

He said the Taliban’s return to power had once again destroyed people’s hopes and left no path for coexistence.

Fitrat said people had reached the end of their patience and that the Taliban regime’s conduct had driven young people away from religion and made them unwilling to listen to the group.

Addressing young Afghans, the teacher urged Afghans to work towards ending Taliban rule and to create what he called the last opportunity for coexistence with other ethnic groups.

Also Read: Now Is Not the Time to Recognise Taliban: Former Afghan President

He accused the Taliban regime of disrupting the social order and imposing an authoritarian system on Afghanistan.

Addressing the Taliban directly, Fitrat said: “You did not come to save religion; religion is only a slogan, while in practice your objectives are ethnic and racial.”

In another part of his remarks, he also called on religious scholars to take a stand against the Taliban regime’s conduct.

The video has been widely shared on social media in recent hours. Some users have also expressed concern about Fitrat’s safety, Afghanistan International reported.

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