Taliban Imprison a Girl in Kunduz for Opposing Forced Marriage

Local sources confirmed to the media on Saturday (29 June) that the Taliban have imprisoned the girl and her father in the Kunduz provincial center for the past four days.

According to the sources, Maulwi Rahmatullah Hanafi, head of the Criminal Court of the Kunduz Primary City Court, has warned that if the girl does not agree to the marriage, he will perform her nikah (marriage contract) next Saturday.

Sources add that Shaista was engaged to a man she had never met a year ago by her father's decision.

Shaista is 25 years old and a vaccinator. She is absolutely not willing to marry a man she does not know.

Sources say that the girl's fiancé has the support of the Taliban.

This comes as forced and early marriages among girls have increased since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan and have become a serious concern for UN human rights bodies.

It is worth mentioning that Taliban commanders, after reclaiming control of the country, have engaged in polygamy, and this practice continues despite the leader of the group's directive prohibiting it.