KABUL: The Taliban-controlled Ministry of Interior has begun replacing the word “police” with “sherṭa” on vehicles belonging to the institution.
In a statement issued on Monday, the ministry said the title displayed on 92 military vehicles in Logar province had been updated.
Photos released by the ministry show the word “sherṭa” being painted onto the vehicles using metal stencils and spray paint.
The change follows the Taliban’s new police law, under which the term “police” has been replaced with “sherṭa,” an Arabic-derived term used by the Taliban authorities.
The terminology change has drawn attention because “sherṭa” is unfamiliar to many people in Afghanistan, where the term “police” has been widely used in official and everyday contexts.
Some social media users have criticized the decision, questioning the need to replace a commonly understood term with a less familiar one.
The Ministry of Interior has presented the change as part of the implementation of its new police law. The move is part of broader changes introduced by the Taliban authorities to official terminology and institutional structures since returning to power in 2021.
The updated markings on the vehicles indicate that the terminology is now being implemented at the provincial level, beginning with the vehicles identified in Logar.