Kabul’s famous Orphanage to be turned into a Jihadist School

KABUL: Shafiqullah Murid, a well-known Afghan singer, has announced that the Taliban have shut down the orphanage “Rayan Children,” which he oversaw in Kabul. In a post on his Instagram, Murid reported that the Taliban raided the orphanage two days ago and transferred the children to state-run facilities. He stated that Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, issued orders to halt the activities of all private orphanages. The “Rayan Children” orphanage was established through the initiative of Shafiqullah Murid with the cooperation of the community, providing education and care for orphaned children. Local sources suggest that the Taliban plan to convert the central orphanage in Kabul into a school and aim to transform all orphanages into jihadist schools. Before the Taliban takeover, the central orphanage, located in the Tahya Maskan area of Kabul, housed over a thousand children, but now only around 300 remain. Following the Taliban’s rise to power, many children have been deprived of access to modern education, adequate food, and proper care, raising widespread concerns among child rights activists and civil society.