The Taliban has banned filming and photography at the traditional Shalimar Festival in Kandahar province, warning journalists not to produce visual reports of the event, sources told Afghanistan International.

The annual celebration, held in the Arghandab district of Kandahar, marks the arrival of spring with the ripening of berries and typically lasts between 20 to 40 days. It includes traditional wrestling, Attan dancing, singing, and other cultural programmes.

However, local sources reported on Tuesday, 13 May, that the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is prohibiting journalists from capturing images or footage of the festival or its participants.

Officials from the ministry in Arghandab reportedly detained several journalists for hours and warned them against any visual documentation.

“Officials from the Propagation of Virtue directorate in Arghandab summoned seven journalists who were filming the festival. They were informed that, by order of the provincial governor and the Taliban leadership, all filming and photography are strictly forbidden,” one source said.

According to the same source, Taliban officials also deleted all photos and videos recorded by journalists at the event.

Festival attendees told Afghanistan International that Taliban forces were actively patrolling the area in vehicles, regularly urging people to “align themselves with Sharia”.

Since the Taliban’s return to power, many aspects of the Shalimar Festival have been restricted. Singing and the performance of the Attan, a traditional Pashto dance, have been banned, despite their cultural significance.