The Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education has revoked the operating license of Khatam al-Nabiyyin University in Kabul and its branch in Ghazni Province, effectively shutting down the institutions.
According to the ministry, the private university’s license was cancelled over what Taliban authorities described as “non-academic and religious activities.” The decision means the university and its Ghazni branch can no longer continue operating under their previous authorization.
Reports earlier indicated that Taliban authorities had permanently closed the gates of Khatam al-Nabiyyin University in Kabul and its branch in Ghazni, with students being informed that the institutions had been shut down.
Khatam al-Nabiyyin University is a private higher education institution in Afghanistan that has been associated with the country’s Shia community. Its closure adds to concerns surrounding access to higher education and the operating space available to religious and educational institutions under Taliban rule.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education did not provide further details about the specific activities it considered non-academic or religiously inappropriate.
The closure comes amid continued changes to Afghanistan’s higher education sector since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Afghan universities have faced various restrictions and policy changes, while women and girls have also been barred from higher education under Taliban directives.
The decision regarding Khatam al-Nabiyyin University is expected to affect students and staff at both its Kabul campus and Ghazni branch.