The Taliban said it has arrested 21 people in Baghlan province on charges of playing musical instruments and consuming alcoholic beverages.
The Taliban police command in Baghlan said in a statement that the individuals were arrested on Wednesday from a residential house in the First Security District of Pul-e Khumri city.
According to the statement, several musical instruments were seized from the detainees, including a dambura, a ghichak, a tabla, and a harmonium, as well as 11 bottles of alcohol and a pressure cooker.
Taliban officials said the case will be handed over to their judicial authorities after the initial investigation is completed.
They stressed that “any act contrary to Islamic principles” is prohibited under Taliban rule and that violators will be dealt with “legally.”
The Taliban has previously collected and burned musical instruments in several provinces of the country on multiple occasions.
Experts say the Taliban’s opposition to music is rooted in its ideological beliefs, a stance that was also observed during its first period in power.
