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How many Shias are there in Afghanistan?
Islam is the official state religion of Afghanistan, with approximately 99.7\% of the Afghan population being Muslim. Roughly 90\% practice Sunni Islam, while around 10\% are Shias.
Where do Shia live in Afghanistan?
The majority of Afghanistan’s Shia are the Twelvers, primarily of the Hazara ethnicity. The next-largest Twelvers are the Farsiwan of the western Herat and Farah provinces. Other, far smaller, Afghanistan’s Twelver communities include the Qizilbash and the Sadat populations.
Are Afghan Tajiks Shia?
Most Tajiks are Sunni Muslims, with a minority of Twelver Imami Shi’a (in the west around the city of Herat), and speak a form of Dari (Farsi dialect) close to the national language of Iran.
What does the word Taliban mean?
students
The word Taliban means ‘students’ or ‘seekers’ in Pashto, one of the two official languages of Afghanistan. Officials declared a new “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” after seizing Kabul on 15 August, the culmination of a lightning campaign in the wake of the US withdrawal troops from the country.
Why are there so many Shia in Afghanistan?
The answer lies in Afghanistan’s recent history. There has not been a proper census for more than 40 years, but it is estimated that around 20\% of the population are Shia – the rest are Sunni. Most Shias come from the Tajik and Hazara ethnic minorities.
What is the current situation with the Taliban in Afghanistan?
In 2020, the Taliban signed a peace agreement with the United States and entered into power-sharing negotiations with the Afghan government. However, the Taliban continues to launch attacks against government and civilian targets and controls dozens of Afghan districts.
Why is there no sectarian conflict in Afghanistan?
One reason for the absence of openly sectarian conflict in Afghanistan could be the absence of extremist religious groups throughout Afghan history. Both Shias and Sunnis united to wage an insurgency against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and Kabul’s then communist government in the 1970s and 1980s.
Why are there no Tajiks in Afghanistan?
Hazaras, largely to be found in central provinces like Bamiyan, were relentlessly persecuted by the Taliban. Tajiks are spread across the country. One reason for the absence of openly sectarian conflict in Afghanistan could be the absence of extremist religious groups throughout Afghan history.