Amid anti-Taliban uprising, Taliban kill Afghan folk singer with whom they had tea before: Report
The killing of Fawad Andarabi in Baghlan province comes after anti-Taliban forces claimed that some districts in this area are under their control.
As anti-Taliban forces are putting up resistance in Afghanistan's Panjshir province, reports said a Taliban fighter shot an Afghan folk singer Fawad Andarabi dead in Baghlan province, where the anti-Taliban forces are strong and have reportedly taken some areas under their control.
Fawad Andarabi's son Jawad Andarabi told the Associated Press that this was not the first time that the Taliban came to their house. The Taliban previously came out to Andarabi's home and searched it, even drinking tea with the musician, his son Jawad Andarabi told The Associated Press. The singer was shot in the head on the farm.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP that the insurgents would investigate the incident, but had no other details on the killing.
“There is mounting evidence that the Taliban of 2021 is the same as the intolerant, violent, repressive Taliban of 2001. 20 years later. Nothing has changed on that front," Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International tweeted reacting to the report of the killing.
The report of Fawad Andarabi's killing comes amid global apprehension that the Taliban rule in Afghanistan would provide a fillip to jihadist activities. After ISIS-K perpetrated a deadly blast near Kabul airport on August 26, the United States carried out an airstrike killing two ISIS-K men.
Taliban and music
During the previous rule of the Taliban, music was banned in Afghanistan as the Taliban claim that music is forbidden in Islam. Fawad Andarabi was a folk singer who used to sing praises of Afghanistan and most of his songs were about Afghanistan and its people. As disclosed by Andarabi's son, the Taliban apparently did not have much 'ill-feeling' about Andarabi as some leaders of the group had visited the singer's house earlier
(With agency inputs)