Summary:
- Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has decreed that Afghan government employees must attend mosque five times daily or face penalties.
- Employees who miss prayers without a valid reason will receive a warning and may face punishment for repeated offenses.
- Details on how the Taliban will enforce this policy and the nature of the punishments remain unclear.
Afghan Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued a new edict requiring government employees to attend mosque for prayers five times a day. The order, signed by Akhundzada, mandates that missing a prayer without a valid excuse will result in a warning, with further violations leading to unspecified punishments.
The decree reflects the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law and raises questions about how it will be enforced, particularly outside of working hours. Akhundzada, who leads the Taliban from his base in Kandahar, remains a reclusive figure, rarely appearing in public.