ISIS threats ‘closed Afghanistan universities’

Several higher education institutions in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar, including its main university, have had to shut down after threats by ISIS insurgents, it is claimed.

The closures come amid a deteriorating security situation in the province, with more than 300 deaths and 600 injuries in the past six months.

Officials said they had no option but to take the threats against schools and universities seriously.

“A threat was issued nearly two weeks ago, but there have been fears of possible attacks for a very long time, even years,” Shakib Sharifzai, a Nangarhar citizen, told The National.

He said state and private institutions, including Nangarhar University, Nangarhar Medical University, and the separate Nangarhar Computer Science Faculty, were affected.

Haji Gul Wahaj, an assistant professor at Nangarhar University, said it had received a warning from security agencies before a graduation ceremony two weeks ago, to which few students and families then showed up.

“They have closed down in the past two weeks due to threats from Daesh,” Mr Wahaj said.

The closures came as Taliban leaders are massing fighters to drive ISIS from Nangarhar, after a similar offensive routed the rival militant group from the north of the country.

A declining security situation had already affected class attendances, Mr Wahaj said.

“Fewer students are attending; lecturers are also afraid to take sessions or conduct field visits,” he said.

Many students from other provinces had decided to return to their homes without completing courses, he said.

The provincial government denied the universities closed because of terrorist threats.

“Considering the many previous attacks in Nangarhar, some groups have spread messages claiming that universities are under threat, but that isn’t true,” said Attaullah Khogyani, a Nangarhar governor spokesman.

But several sources, including at the University of Nangarhar, told The National the closure was not seasonal but because of warnings by security agencies of potential attacks against education facilities.

In June, the government had to close down girls’ schools in the provincial capital Jalalabad after a threat from ISIS. And last week, a girls’ school was set on fire in the province.

In Logar province more than 100 schools were closed this month by officials after threats from the Taliban. The schools reopened this week after negotiations between local Taliban leaders and the government.