PESHAWAR: The Taliban claimed to have arrested two militants after three wedding guests were allegedly shot killed for playing music in a wedding ceremony in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar on Saturday night, the French News Agency, AFP, has reported.
The Taliban authorities in Kabul said that such killings are unacceptable and further investigation is underway to bring the perpetrators to justice. Local officials, eyewitnesses and the heirs of the dead have confirmed the incident to media persons after which the Taliban officials said that the incident was being investigated and no one would be allowed to take law into their hands.
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During the previous Taliban government in Afghanistan, music completely banned in the country. But no clear orders regarding music have been issued by the Taliban after seizing power on 15 August, year. The Taliban considers music to be in conflict with Islamic law and music schools in Kabul has already shut down.
An eyewitness told AFP that young men were playing musical instruments in a separate room during the wedding when three Taliban fighters approached and opened fire on them. As a result, two guests were killed over music while three were injured. The officials said that the injured persons were in critical conditions and one of them succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital.
Qazi Mullah Adil, spokesman for the Taliban governor in Nangarhar, also confirmed the incident but did not provide further details. Security sources told that two militants who opened fire had been detained by authorities.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban government in Kabul, said he could not confirm the incident, but said it was not the Taliban’s policy to kill music listeners. “The investigation is ongoing. It may be the result of personal enmity.” Mujahid said it is not our right to barred anyone from listening or playing music. “We can only encourage the people to avoid music,” According to Mujahid, “The murderer, even if official, will be prosecuted in the court of Justice.”