Protests in Kabul after Taliban forces besieged the Khatam al-Nabiyyin seminary

This was reported by Afghan media, noting that the protest began after Taliban government forces surrounded the Khatam al-Nabiyyin Seminary and demanded its officials and students to evacuate it.

Circulating video clips showed a number of protesters inside the seminary’s courtyards, while Ministry of Justice forces equipped with military equipment were deployed around the building.

According to sources, the measure was carried out by order of the Taliban's Minister of Justice, Abdul Hakim Shari, and the authorities have not yet issued an official clarification regarding the siege of the seminary, its evacuation order, or the fate of the students and clergy present there.

Tamadun TV channel reported, citing its sources, that 28 people were detained following the siege of the seminary, and 4 of them were later released.

Earlier this month, students of the Khatam al-Nabiyyin seminary expressed, during a meeting with an official in the Ministry of Justice, their protest against the continued closure of the seminary’s mosque, school, and library, demanding their urgent reopening.

Last June, the Afghan Ministry of Justice closed major parts of the seminary, and the decision sparked widespread concern among Shiite circles in Afghanistan amid disputes over ownership of the property and the legal status of the seminary.

Khatam al-Nabiyyin Seminary is one of the most prominent centers for teaching Shiite religious sciences in Kabul. It was founded by the Shiite cleric and politician Muhammad Asif Mohseni in 2007, who is one of the founders of the “Islamic Movement in Afghanistan.”

According to media reports, last week, the Taliban took control of the administration of Khatam al-Nabiyin University, and appointed a president and 4 deputies.