Afghan Taliban Detain Shia Clerics in Herat Over Eid Dispute

According to reports, the Taliban detained several Shia clerics in Herat after they refused to observe Eid al-Fitr on the date declared by the group. The clerics argued that the new moon was not sighted by the Shia moon-sighting committee and expressed distrust in Taliban leadership. Among those detained are Khodadad Ehsani, representative of Ayatollah Mohaqiq Kabuli and preacher at Al-Mahdi Mosque in Jebrail, Mohammad Akbari, former head of the Jebrail Ulema Council, and several other Shia religious leaders. They have reportedly been transferred to prison. The move has been described as highlighting the Taliban's intolerance toward religious dissent and the increasing persecution of minority communities in Afghanistan.