Taliban authorities in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province on Wednesday burned 650 musical instruments collected over recent months from the provincial capital and its districts. Mustaghfir Gurbaz, spokesperson for the Taliban governor of Khost, said in a statement that the instruments had been used to play and broadcast music.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have banned playing and listening to music under their interpretation of Islamic law. Instruments have been confiscated and destroyed across the country, and music is barred from television and radio.
According to sources, it is not the first such burning this year. Last month 69 instruments were burned in northern Jawzjan province, and in May more than 800 were destroyed in Khost itself. Hundreds more were reportedly destroyed earlier in Parwan and Laghman.
Morality police have also raided private gatherings, including weddings, and detained musicians; in July at least 14 people were held in Nangarhar for playing music at a private event. Hundreds of Afghan musicians and artists have left the country in recent years, while many who stayed have abandoned their profession.