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“We will declare Kosovo an autonomous province of Serbia,” Vucic Unveils Belgrade’s Action Plan

Rania Lampou
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“We will declare Kosovo an autonomous province of Serbia,” Vucic Unveils Belgrade’s Action Plan

Belgrade, Serbia (DT) — The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has cautioned that Serbia may declare Kosovo an autonomous province with special social protections.

In his speech, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic outlined Belgrade’s planned actions for northern Kosovo. Unable to announce Kosovo’s occupation of the north or the onset of conflict, Vucic stated that the Serbian Assembly will soon vote on declaring Kosovo and Metohija an autonomous region. He added that Serbia will pursue a diplomatic approach and seek support from leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping.

RELATED NEWS : Serbia Calls for New Elections in Tense Northern Kosovo and Demands Return of Serb Police and Judiciary

We need to start meetings with 60 world leaders by the end of November, and I will deliver all the documents to each of them in the official language, to Biden, to Putin, to Xi Jinping, that is, to all the leaders of the permanent countries of the UNSC . We will tell you the facts.

I will give 11 decorations to our friends who have helped us the most on the issue of Kosovo, such as Putin, the president of China, etc. They have turned against most of the world for us.

You will see the results soon. We are talking about diplomatic actions. Kosovo and Metohia as an area of ​​special social protection. In the Parliament, we will approve the law that will declare the autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija, declaring it as a special protected area, offering support to the unemployed. Children will have the right to free textbooks ,” said Vucic.

Vucic further said that the Serbian institutions and temporary authorities in Kosovo and Metohija will not be abolished. He emphasized that they will be opened very close to the border with Kosovo and where Serbs will have access to them.

” Serbian institutions and temporary authorities in Kosovo and Metohija will not be abolished or closed, which will prevent Aljbin Kurti from achieving his main political goal of expelling and completely eliminating the institutions of Serbia and Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

In order to mitigate the unilateral and uncoordinated actions of the Kurti regime, directed against Serbian institutions and provisional authorities, an office will be opened near the administrative line in the settlements of Rudnica and Ribarič, where Serbs from the north of Kosovo and Metohija will have access to exercise their rights in the field of social protection and through which they will provide vital public and administrative services to citizens” , said Vučič.

Vucic also proposed the establishment of a special Prosecutor’s Office dedicated to investigating human rights violations by the Kosovo police in the North.

He announced that within 45 days, the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Serbia will pass the Law on the Organization of Competences of the Judicial Bodies of the Republic of Serbia for the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

This law will create a specialized Prosecutor’s Office tasked with addressing abuses and violations of fundamental human rights, property usurpation, and threats to the bodily integrity and dignity of Serbian citizens in Kosovo and Metohija. The office will focus on investigating and prosecuting criminal and illegal activities committed by employees and officials of the temporary institutions in Pristina, Vucic added.

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Israel President Herzog meets with Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania on his first Tirana visit

Shasi Kumar
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Israel President Herzog meets with Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania on his first Tirana visit

Tirana, Albania (DT) — Marking the first ever visit by an Israeli President to Albania, President Herzog today (Thursday, 12 September 2024 ) met with Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, in the capital Tirana.

Accompanying the President on his visit was Idit Ohel, mother of Alon Ohel who is among the 101 hostages still being held captive by Hamas. The Albanian Prime Minister, known for his love of painting and art, emotionally presented Idit with a book of his works as a token of appreciation, and emphasized to her once again the importance of bringing the hostages home.

Ahead of their meeting, the President and Prime Minister made brief statements.

President Herzog thanked his host for the historic and warm welcome, and said: “It is especially meaningful to be among friends at this painful time for Israel, as we near the one-year mark since Hamas terrorists brutally attacked Israel. One year since thousands of terrorists invaded our country, savagely murdered and wounded thousands, and kidnapped hundreds of Israelis and foreign nationals into Gaza.”

He noted, “Ever since that dark day in October, Albania has placed itself firmly on the right side of history. Your country has shown, again and again, that you stand with the people of Israel, as we fight to defend our borders and our civilization.”

The President stressed, “Still today, hostages are being held in cruel bondage in Gaza, in gross violation of every humanitarian and ethical norm. The entire international community must do everything in its power to bring them home. All of them. Unfortunately, we are fighting more than one terrorist enemy simultaneously.

The trail of blood linking all of the agents of hate is Iran, and its cruel, antisemitic fixation with the destruction of the State of Israel.”

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed the President and his delegation.

Prime Minister Rama said: “Thank you for having brought here with you the mother of hostage, of Alon, to whom I had the privilege to dedicate a book of my art. And I’ll pray for him to get back.”

He added, “I want to send a very brotherly message to all the parents of the hostages on one hand, expressing the most heartfelt condolences to all of them who lost their kids, who lost their loved ones in this horrendous moment in time, and on the other hand, to wish to all the others, to hug their kids and to hug their loved ones as soon as possible.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama tells President Isaac Herzog that his country will open a commercial liaison office in Jerusalem.

I can’t agree more with every Israeli citizen and every Jew in the world when it comes to the need for the world to understand that the horrors we are witnessing, and also the so many unnecessary victims of this war where so many innocents are losing their lives because of the need to eradicate this devil from the underneath of the earth.

It did not start from nothing, but started from a horror that nobody around today’s world has ever imagined that could be seen in our lifetime. These images of that day, that very dark day, not just for Israel, but for all the world, were images that no one should forget and everyone when speaking about the way through, should start from those images, otherwise history may repeat itself, and this would be, then not the sin of Israel, but this will be the sin of all humanity.“

Two NASA astronauts stuck in space have flown long missions before

Diplomat Times
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Two NASA astronauts stuck in space have flown long missions before

CAPE CANAVERAL, USA(AP) — The two NASA astronauts left behind at the International Space Station following the return of Boeing’s troubled capsule are Navy test pilots who have ridden out long missions before.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now full-time station crew members along with the seven others on board.

NASA decided last month they won’t be flying back in their Boeing Starliner capsule, but will wait for a ride with SpaceX in late February, pushing their mission to more than eight months. Their original itinerary on the test flight was eight days.

On Friday, the empty Starliner capsule departed the space station and parachuted into the New Mexico desert.

Butch Wilmore

Wilmore, 61, grew up in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, playing football for his high school team and later Tennessee Technological University. He joined the Navy, becoming a test pilot and racking up more than 8,000 hours of flying time and 663 aircraft carrier landings. He flew combat missions during the first Gulf War in 1991 and was serving as a flight test instructor when NASA chose him as an astronaut in 2000.

Wilmore flew to the space station in 2009 as the pilot of shuttle Atlantis, delivering tons of replacement parts. Five years later, he moved into the orbiting lab for six months, launching on a Russian Soyuz from Kazakhstan and conducting four spacewalks.

In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 13, 2024. (NASA via AP, File)

Married with two daughters, Wilmore serves as an elder at his Houston-area Baptist church. He’s participated in prayer services with the congregation while in orbit.

His family is used to the uncertainty and stress of his profession. He met wife Deanna amid Navy deployments, and their daughters were born in Houston, astronauts’ home base.

“This is all they know,” Wilmore said before the flight.

Suni Williams

Williams, 58, is the first woman to serve as a test pilot for a new spacecraft. She grew up in Needham, Massachusetts, the youngest of three born to an Indian-born brain researcher and a Slovene American health care worker. She assumed she’d go into science like them and considered becoming a veterinarian. But she ended up at the Naval Academy, itching to fly, and served in a Navy helicopter squadron overseas during the military buildup for the Gulf War.

NASA chose her as an astronaut in 1998. Because of her own diverse background, she jumped at the chance to go to Russia to help behind the scenes with the still new space station. In 2006, she flew up aboard shuttle Discovery for her own lengthy mission. She had to stay longer than planned — 6 1/2 months — after her ride home, Atlantis, suffered hail damage at the Florida pad. She returned to the space station in 2012, this time serving as its commander.

She performed seven spacewalks during her two missions and even ran the Boston Marathon on a station treadmill and competed in a triathlon, substituting an exercise machine for the swimming event.

Husband Michael Williams, a retired U.S. marshal and former Naval aviator, is tending to their dogs back home in Houston. Her widowed mother is the one who frets.

“I’m her baby daughter so I think she’s always worried,” Williams said before launching.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Serbia Calls for New Elections in Tense Northern Kosovo and Demands Return of Serb Police and Judiciary

Diplomat Times
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Serbia Calls for New Elections in Tense Northern Kosovo and Demands Return of Serb Police and Judiciary

Belgrade, Serbia (DT/AP) — Serbia on Friday demanded that an election be held and ethnic Serbs return to police and judiciary in a Serb-populated northern region of Kosovo where tensions have fueled fears of instability and new armed clashes.

Populist President Aleksandar Vucic also called for the withdrawal of Kosovo’s special police from the region bordering Serbia that remains a flashpoint amid stalled efforts by Western countries to help negotiate a solution to the dispute.

The demands are unlikely to be met by Kosovo’s leadership.

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Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s declaration of independence from 2008. A former Serbian province, Kosovo broke away after a 1998-99 war which ended in a NATO intervention.

Tensions in Kosovo rose anew after Kosovo shut down several Serbia-backed parallel institutions in the north at the end of August. The crackdown by the Kosovo government has sparked criticism from the U.S. and the European Union who fear tensions in Kosovo could lead to wider Balkan instability as the war rages in Ukraine.

In his speech on Friday, Vucic said Serbia is demanding to “return to what has been agreed and achieved so far in the dialogue” between Belgrade and Pristina that has been mediated by the EU since 2011.

These talks have produced several agreements over the years but tensions have persisted with occasional outbursts of violence. Serbia accuses Kosovo of refusing to form an association of Serb-majority municipalities was been agreed in a deal back in 2013.

“What we are demanding is respect of European norms and dialogue,” said Vucic at a special press conference dedicated to Kosovo. “We do not want war.”

Many Serbs consider Kosovo a historic heartland and refuse to acknowledge its split from Serbia. Kosovo is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian while minority Serbs live mostly in the north and in smaller communities in central Kosovo.

Ethnic Serb lawmakers, judges, and police officers in northern Kosovo resigned en masse in November 2022 in protest over the dismissal of a police officer by Kosovo authorities.

Last year, a gunfight following an incursion by heavily armed Serb gunmen killed a Kosovo policeman and three Serb gunmen in the most serious incident since the war in the 1990s. Kosovo prosecutors this week charged 45 people over the shootout, including a close ally of Vucic.

Vucic said Serbia will continue to assist ethnic Serbs in Kosovo socially and financially. He accused the EU and the U.S. of siding with Kosovo, announcing he would write to U.S. President Joe Biden, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and top EU officials and other world leaders over the current crisis.

EU officials have told Serbia and Kosovo they must normalize ties in order to advance in their bids to join the 27-nation bloc. Belgrade maintains also close relations with Russia and China, which have backed its claim on Kosovo.

Vucic’s speech was dominated by his trademark anti-Western rhetoric that he uses when speaking at home.

There are widespread fears that Russia is using its traditional ally Serbia to inflame tensions in Europe in part to defuse attention from its invasion of Ukraine.

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Croatia Sees Record 16.9 Million Tourist Arrivals in 2024: A Booming Travel Industry

Rania Lampou
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Croatia Sees Record 16.9 Million Tourist Arrivals in 2024: A Booming Travel Industry

Zagreb, Croatia (DT) – Croatia has experienced a remarkable surge in tourism this year, with the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) reporting 16.9 million tourist arrivals in 2024.

This substantial increase from the previous year highlights Croatia’s rising status as a premier travel destination in Europe.

The booming tourism sector has become a crucial element of the Croatian economy, driving job creation, economic growth, and infrastructure development nationwide.

Tourism Trends and Top 10 most popular destinations in Croatia

  1. Zagreb
  2. Dubrovnik
  3. Split
  4. Rovinj
  5. Poreč
  6. Zadar
  7. Umag
  8. Opatija
  9. Pula
  10. Medulin

The rise in tourist arrivals in Croatia can be attributed to the growing appeal of its diverse attractions, including the stunning Adriatic coastline, rich cultural heritage, and charming islands.

According to the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB), most visitors in 2024 came from Germany, Slovenia, Austria, and Poland, with increasing numbers from the United Kingdom and the United States.

Aerial view of the Roman amphitheater, the city of Pula in Istria, Croatia (Photo: Unsplash)

Top destinations include Dubrovnik, Split, and Zagreb, as well as the Istrian and Dalmatian coastlines. Dubrovnik, known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” continues to captivate tourists with its medieval architecture, vibrant history, and crystal-clear waters.

Split attracts visitors with its historic Diocletian’s Palace and lively nightlife, while Zagreb offers a blend of cultural exploration and urban experiences.

Croatia’s islands, such as Hvar, Brač, Korčula, and Vis, draw tourists with their pristine beaches, unspoiled nature, and exclusive resorts. The Istrian Peninsula, with its blend of Italian and Croatian influences, is popular for its culinary delights, wine-tasting opportunities, and seaside relaxation.

Walls of Ston

Often referred to as the “European Great Wall of China,” the Ston Walls are an impressive series of fortifications stretching 5.5 km around the town of Ston and linking it to neighboring Mali Ston. Construction began in the mid-14th century and was completed in the 15th century, featuring 40 smaller towers and 5 fortresses.

Ston is also a prime destination for food enthusiasts, renowned for its exceptional oysters, which are cultivated in the nearby Mali Ston Bay.

Dubrovnik beach

Many visitors come to Dubrovnik in search of the perfect beach holiday and with crystal clear waters and nearly perfect weather from May to October, most will have no problem finding it. However, some first-time visitors are surprised to find that Dubrovnik does not offer the kind of white, sandy beaches that are found at many other holiday destinations.

Dubrovnik beach. Photo : TRHE

Beaches in Dubrovnik and along the Dalmatian coast are generally comprised of small pebbles and rocks whose surfaces have been rounded by the tides. Often, what many locals call “beaches” are merely concrete slabs or large rocks from which swimmers can enter the sea. For those that require at least a pebble beach with a gradual slope to the sea, the following is a list of recommended local Dubrovnik beaches.

The glowing church of St. Euphemia overlooking the city of Rovinj (Photo: Unsplash)

Economic Effects of Tourism on Croatia

Tourism is a vital pillar of the Croatian economy, making a significant contribution to GDP.

The rise in tourist arrivals has led to increased revenue for the hospitality, accommodation, and transport sectors, spurring further investments in tourism infrastructure.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports highlights the government’s commitment to sustainable tourism development, ensuring that Croatia’s natural and cultural resources are preserved for future generations.

Additionally, the Ministry has introduced initiatives to promote year-round tourism, encouraging visitors to explore Croatia outside the peak seasons. This approach has been crucial in distributing tourism benefits more evenly across lesser-known regions and alleviating pressure on popular destinations during the busy summer months.

UN provides 15 mln USD for floods response in South Sudan

Diplomat Times
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UN provides 15 mln USD for floods response in South Sudan

The United Nations has allocated 15 million U.S. dollars for an urgent response to the devastating flooding that has affected more than 700,000 people in South Sudan, an official said Thursday

JUBA, South Sudan (DT/Xinhua) – The United Nations has allocated 15 million U.S. dollars for an urgent response to the devastating flooding that has affected more than 700,000 people in South Sudan, an official said Thursday.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, said 10 million dollars from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will be used to provide critical assistance to those affected by severe flooding across five highly impacted counties in South Sudan.

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Gbeho also released an additional five million dollars from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund to complement the 10 million dollars from CERF, aimed at bolstering critical response pipelines and frontline services. “Floodwaters are already devastating lives and livelihoods across South Sudan,” she said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

“Homes, crops, and critical infrastructure have been destroyed, leaving communities without access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and displacing people,” Gbeho added.

A child is seen at a temporary camp hosting flood victims in Mangalla, South Sudan, Oct. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Gale Julius)

As of Thursday, more than 735,000 people in 38 of South Sudan’s 78 counties, including the Abyei Administrative Area, have been affected by the flooding, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The OCHA said that the CERF funding will enable frontline humanitarian partners to deliver life-saving services in health, shelter, non-food items, and water, sanitation, and hygiene support to vulnerable communities already reeling from the devastating effects of the flooding.

South Sudan is facing unprecedented flooding, with forecasts predicting above-average rainfall, river flows from Uganda, and potentially record-breaking floods.

The joint flood preparedness and response plan, developed by the government, the UN and other partners, aims to assist 2.4 million people. It also identifies 20 high-risk counties across Warrap, Upper Nile, Unity, Jonglei/Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Lakes, Central Equatoria, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states as priority areas for intervention.

Many of these areas are already grappling with the compounded impact of past floods, ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and acute food insecurity, further exacerbated by the ongoing crisis in neighboring Sudan.

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US Delegation Led by Donald Lu to Arrive in Bangladesh Tomorrow for Talks with Interim Government

Shasi Kumar
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US Delegation Led by Donald Lu to Arrive in Bangladesh Tomorrow for Talks with Interim Government

New Delhi, India (DT) – US Delegation Led by Donald Lu to Arrive in Bangladesh Tomorrow for Talks with Interim Government.

A high-level US delegation, headed by Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh tomorrow. The visit will focus on meetings with the interim government to discuss key bilateral issues and regional concerns.

RELATED NEWS : Six killed in Bangladesh Cox’s Bazar landslides

Dhaka is ready to host a comprehensive and multi-faceted discussion as it welcomes the first US high level delegation tomorrow following the formation of the interim government, led by Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus. 

US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, who is currently in New Delhi, will lead a delegation to Bangladesh starting tomorrow. The visit will include meetings with key officials, such as Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, and Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, among others.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin will host a working lunch attended by representatives from relevant ministries. According to Jashim, the discussions will address a broad range of issues rather than a single topic.

A US State Department spokesperson indicated that the talks will center on how the United States can support Bangladesh’s economic growth, financial stability, and development priorities. Assistant Secretary Lu will also reaffirm the US commitment to promoting economic growth and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.

In Dhaka, Lu will join an interagency delegation, including representatives from the US Department of the Treasury, USAID, and the Office of the US Trade Representative, to discuss advancing bilateral relations in light of the current political situation.

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, Assistant Secretary Lu will join an interagency delegation for meetings with the Bangladeshi interim government. The delegation will include representatives from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAID, and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. U.S. and Bangladeshi officials will discuss how the United States can support Bangladesh’s economic growth, financial stability and development needs.

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Six killed in Bangladesh Cox’s Bazar landslides

Qaseem Hassan
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Six killed in Bangladesh Cox’s Bazar landslides

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (DT/BSS) – At least six people, including three Rohingyas, were killed in separate landslides in Sadar upazila and at a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila of the district in the early hours of today.

Three members of a family died in South Dikkul area under Jhilongja union in the Sadar upazila while three members of another family died at the Hatikumrul-14 Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila of the district.

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The separate incidents occurred late Thursday night and early hours of today.

Giyas Uddin Zhiku, the former chairman of Jhilongja Union Parishad said that they heard the sound of a landslide from the direction of Mizan’s house during heavy rain at night. Later, they went there and saw that Mizan’s family was crushed under the landslide. Mizan was immediately rescued alive around 3am. Later, with the help of the locals, the bodies were recovered from the spot.

The deceased were identified as Akhi Moni, 21, wife of Mizanur Rahman and their two children – Miha Jinnat, 5, and Latifa Islam, 1.

Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury visited the affected area and cash Taka 75,000 were given to the victim’s family.

Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner of Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission Mohammad Samsud Douza Nayan said, due to continuous heavy rains, three residential houses were destroyed by a landslide in Hakim Para Rohingya Camp No. 14 in Ukhiya upazila and three brothers of the same family died due to soil pressure.

They are Abdur Rahim, Abdul Hafeez and Abdul Waheed, sons of Kabir Ahmed of E-2 block of the camp.

Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office assistant meteorologist Abdul Hannan said that the total rainfall in 27 hours from 6 am on Thursday to 9 am on Friday was 401 mm. This is the highest rainfall recorded in a single day this season.

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Russian security chief Shoigu meets Kim Jong Un in N.Korea

Diplomat Times
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Russian security chief Shoigu meets Kim Jong Un in N.Korea

Moscow, Russia (DT/REUTERS) – The head of Russia’s Security Council Sergei Shoigu met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday, Moscow said, weeks after the Kremlin signed a defence pact with Pyongyang.

“The meetings in Pyongyang took place in a uniquely trusting and friendly atmosphere in line with the agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit in June,” Russia’s security council said on its website.

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Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms transfers but have vowed to boost military ties. Russia has deepened its relations with North Korea since the start of the Ukraine war, and Kim received Putin on a state visit in June.

Shoigu was Russian defence minister until May, and is now secretary of the Security Council which brings together Putin, his military and intelligence chiefs and other senior figures.

“As part of the ongoing strategic dialogue between our countries, a substantive exchange of views took place with Korean colleagues on a wide range of issues on the bilateral and international agenda,” state news agency RIA quoted the Security Council as saying.
It said the meetings took place in an “exceptionally trusting, friendly atmosphere” and would make an important contribution to the implementation of agreements reached between Putin and Kim at their summit three months ago.

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Three years later, the Taliban’s education ban stokes fears of rising extremism

Diplomat Times
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Three years later, the Taliban’s education ban stokes fears of rising extremism

Kabul, Afghanistan (EFE) – Experts and social activists are concerned over the decline of modern education in Afghanistan as the country marks the third year of the Taliban’s ban on adolescent girls’ education.

They say several Taliban-backed religious centers have come at the expense of modern schools, which may lead to a rise in extremism.

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According to a recent report from the Taliban’s Ministry of Education, more than 21,000 Islamic education centers have been established, compared to just 316 new modern schools, a trend sparking alarm among education activists.

“It is very dangerous for the country’s future that so many Taliban-backed Islamic study centers are being established while modern education is being neglected,” Ghulam Jelani Alokozai, an education expert, told EFE.

At a press conference on Sep 11, the Taliban’s Education Ministry presented its annual performance report, revealing the establishment of 21,257 Islamic education centers alongside 316 new schools.

The stark contrast has left many experts worried about Afghanistan’s educational trajectory.

Alokozai said it showed a “clear path toward extremism.”

Afghan girls arrive at the primary school after returning from the summer holidays in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 08 September 2024. EFE-EPA/QUDRATULLAH RAZWAN

Social activists have criticized the Taliban for keeping girls’ schools and universities closed while enrolling female students in seminaries.

“The seminaries existed under the previous government too, but now, with the Taliban in power, girls’ schools and universities remain closed, and girls are only allowed to attend religious institutions,” said Nahid Noori, a social and women’s rights activist.

Experts are also concerned about the Taliban’s changes to both modern education and religious curricula, accusing the de-facto government of using seminaries to indoctrinate the younger generation with its ideology.

“We already had Islamic centers with a comprehensive curriculum, so why did the Taliban feel the need to change the curriculum and expand religious studies centers unnecessarily? The country also needs modern education,” said Mulavi Sayed Ibrar, a religious scholar.

Banning girls’ education has been widely criticized both nationally and internationally. Religious scholars argue that Islam mandates education for both males and females, emphasizing the importance of modern education alongside religious studies.

“Islam clearly states that education is mandatory for men and women, and we need modern education in all aspects of life,” said Mawalawi Saleh Mohammad Islampur, an Islamic scholar.

Former students, like 18-year-old Madina, who was in the 10th grade before joining a seminary, have had to abandon their dreams. “I wanted to become an economist, but now, with schools closed, I’ve had to turn to religious studies just to stay in the educational system,” Madina told EFE.

Afghan girls attend a class at the primary school after returning from the summer holidays in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 08 September 2024. EFE-EPA/QUDRATULLAH RAZWAN

Nazo Kharotay, 16, a secondary school student, said they watched the Taliban’s recent education conference. “But unfortunately, there was no mention of girls’ education.”

In its annual report, the Taliban’s Education Ministry noted that over the past year, more than 1.4 million new students were enrolled in public and private schools, raising the total number of students to nearly 11 million.

The report also highlighted the establishment of 21,257 Islamic education centers, including 19,669 seminaries, 1,277 Quran memorization centers, 115 religious schools, and 39 orphanages, engaging a total of 3,687,200 people in Islamic education.

Additionally, 316 new schools were opened, including 106 public and 210 private schools, bringing the total number of schools in Afghanistan to 18,337.

The ministry also provided specialized services to 484 disabled children in 18 provinces and educational materials for 3,844 disabled students in 19 provinces, while working to revise textbooks and improve the quality of education. EFE

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