Noor Mohammad Saqib, the Taliban’s Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, visited Jowzjan province and ordered the construction of a large memorial monument at Dasht-e-Leili.
The ministry stated that the visit was intended to assess religious and administrative affairs and to pay respects to those killed in the area during past conflicts.
Dasht-e-Leili is historically significant due to fierce battles between the Taliban and Northern Alliance forces in the late 1990s.
During his tour, the minister inspected ongoing projects and emphasized the importance of commemorating the Taliban fighters who lost their lives in the desert region, which has long been a site of controversy and conflicting narratives.
This visit follows similar trips by high-ranking Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani and Mullah Baradar, over the past four years.
The events at Dasht-e-Leili remain a sensitive topic in Afghanistan’s history, with no independent comprehensive investigation having been conducted to date regarding the casualties reported there.
