Abdullah Sarhadi, the former governor of Bamiyan, has admitted that during the first term of the current government’s rule in Afghanistan, he destroyed the historical Buddha statues.
Mr. Sarhadi made these statements in an interview with the BBC World Service, saying, “I destroyed them with my own hands, and everything we did is in accordance with God’s guidance and law… We break idols, not sell them.”
He emphasized, “I do not regret the destruction of the historical Buddha statues. Why should I regret? It was God’s will.”
The current government, on March 11, 2001, under the orders of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the former leader of this group, destroyed the giant Buddha statues in Bamiyan using explosives and artillery fire.
Abdullah Sarhadi, who was a military commander at that time, has now admitted his role in the destruction of these historical statues.
It is worth mentioning that the colossal statue of Shakhyamuni, standing at 53 meters, and the smaller statue at 35 meters were carved into the mountains in Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan between 300 and 700 AD.
The destruction of these statues, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, faced widespread international condemnation and outrage.
