Taliban Promise To Preserve Empty Niches Of Destroyed Buddha Statues In Bamiyan Province

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2021) The Taliban (terrorist organization, banned in Russia) have promised to keep intact empty niches in rock that used to house two large statues of Buddha in the Afghan province of Bamiyan, the head of the culture directorate said on Monday.

The two niches are the only thing left from two sixth century statues of Buddha, 53 and 35 meters high (173 and 114 feet), that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

"As an Islamic Emirate's (the self-designation of the Taliban regime) official in Bamiyan, I am trying my best to preserve these priceless and historical monuments of our province," the official was quoted as saying by Ariana news.

The official noted that local and foreign tourists are welcome to visit the historical sites of the Bamiyan province, including the niches where the Buddhas used to be located.

According to another official cited by the Afghan media, the Taliban destroyed the statues in 2001 as dictated by the Islamic law, and their decision was not hasty.

In 2001, the Taliban blew up two stone-relief Buddha statues in Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan. They were considered the tallest sculptural images of Buddha in the world and were one of the most famous monuments of the country's pre-Islamic culture.

Some monuments from the Buddhist era remain in Afghanistan, including famous Buddhist shrines, or stupas, east of Kabul. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen promised earlier that these monuments were not in any danger.