KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban have begun demolishing shops in Kabul’s historic Jumhuriat Market, leaving business owners and their families uncertain about their future.
Sources shared videos with Amu TV showing Taliban members dismantling shops in the market starting on Sunday, December 15.
Shopkeepers said the demolitions began without prior notice.
“They didn’t inform us,” one shopkeeper said. “We just found them tearing down our shops.”
So far, 120 of the market’s 171 shops have been destroyed, according to local sources.
The Taliban have not issued a statement explaining the reasons behind their actions.
A landmark of Kabul
Jumhuriat Market, a decades-old landmark in Kabul, has been a hub of commercial activity for over 50 years. Its destruction has left families dependent on the market for their livelihoods in a state of uncertainty.
The sudden demolitions have sparked concerns about the lack of transparency and consultation in decisions affecting Kabul’s historic and economic infrastructure.