Terror on Display: Taliban Open War Museum in Jawzjan
Taliban officials in Jawzjan Province have announced the opening of a museum under the name of the “Jihadi Museum.” The museum was inaugurated on Saturday, September 6, in Sheberghan, the provincial capital, in the presence of Gol Haidar Shafaq, the Taliban-appointed governor of Jawzjan.
According to Taliban officials, the purpose of the museum is to “preserve and safeguard historical and wartime heritage” and to “introduce the struggles of the Afghan people against occupiers” to the younger generation.
The museum showcases various weapons, explosives, barrel bombs, landmines, motorcycles, and other war equipment.
During the inauguration, Shafaq emphasized that displaying these items serves as a reminder of the “sacrifices of the freedom fighters” and claimed that today’s generation must be familiar with these “values.”
Critics, however, argue that displaying instruments of war as “historical heritage” sends the wrong message. Instead of promoting peace and coexistence, they say, such museums reinforce and glorify a culture of violence for younger generations.
Analysts believe these initiatives are part of the Taliban’s broader strategy to legitimize their wartime narrative and strengthen their ideological dominance in Afghan society.
The Taliban have previously inaugurated similar war museums in Balkh and Maidan Wardak provinces. The group’s Ministry of Information and Culture has also announced plans to establish a “Jihadi Archive” and build more such museums in other provinces.
