Former Taliban Governor Admits Role in Destruction of Bamyan Buddha Statues
Abdullah Sarhadi, a former Taliban governor of Bamyan, has publicly admitted his direct involvement in the destruction of the ancient Buddha statues in Bamyan during the Taliban's initial rule over Afghanistan. In an interview with the BBC World Service, Sarhadi stated that he personally participated in the demolition of the statues, asserting that these actions were carried out in accordance with what he believed to be God's guidance and law. He expressed no regret for the destruction, claiming the Taliban's aim was to destroy idols rather than sell them. The monumental Salsal and Shamama Buddha statues, carved into the cliffs between the third and seventh centuries CE, were destroyed on March 11, 2001, under the orders of then-Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. Sarhadi, who was a military commander at the time, later served as governor of Bamyan Province after the Taliban's return to power in 2021, until January 2026. 
