The high-ranking Taliban wedding ceremony the place the BRIDE is banned from attending
For most weddings around the world, it’s generally expected that those getting married would be allowed at the venue.
Not so for high-ranking members of the Taliban.
Unsurprisingly, members of the regressive terror group have a backwards view on marriage, and how wedding ceremonies ought to be held as one western ‘explorer’ found out after he was granted rare access to the event.
The wedding, held at the Uranus Wedding Palace in northern Kabul, was attended by ‘thousands’, but was entirely segregated.
Video footage, taken by Miles Routledge, showed a massive white hall adorned with gold ornaments and decorations entirely filled with men at dozens of tables.
He told MailOnline that all the women were in a ‘separate, identically sized venue next door’, adding that there were roughly as many as the men.
The youtuber was also invited to the nikah, an integral part of Islamic weddings in which a formal marriage contract is signed by both the groom and bride.
While ordinarily, both the bride and groom are needed to sign the contract, the Taliban appeared to take a different approach this time round.
The wedding, held at the Uranus Wedding Palace in northern Kabul, was attended by ‘thousands’, but was entirely segregated
Members of the regressive terror group have a backwards view on marriage, and how wedding ceremonies ought to be held as one western ‘explorer’ found out after he was granted rare access to the event
Video footage, taken by Miles Routledge, showed a massive white hall adorned with gold ornaments and decorations entirely filled with men at dozens of tables
In keeping with the regressive nature of the Taliban, which has cracked down harshly on women’s rights over the last few years, the bride was not present at the nikah.
Instead, the male members of the bride and groom’s families sat together in a closed off room and went through the formal process on their behalf.
Routledge, a self-styled adventurer and explorer, documented his time at the event.
He previously travelled to Afghanistan just day before the fall of Kabul – when the Taliban overthrew the government and took back control of the country – in August 2021.
Routledge had to be airlifted to safety out of Kabul by the British Army.
In 2023 during another visit to the country he was arrested by the Taliban and spent eight months in an Afghan prison.
He also showcased the opulence of the event which included two cars given to the groom which were decorated with flowers and the dining area for the male guests which was adorned with golden ornaments throughout.
As a part of the celebration, the groom was given money as a gift and guests could have their hands painted with henna tattoo.
Dainty, white confetti was chucked over the lonesome groom as he sat at the head of the wedding.
As a part of the celebration, the groom was given money as a gift and guests could have their hands painted with henna tattoo and threw confetti
The Youtuber was seen enjoying food and drink at the packed out wedding
Enormous gold ornaments lined the path to the front of the wedding
Routledge, a self-styled adventurer and explorer, (pictured, centre) documented his time at the event
For the sit-down meal the wedding attendees were served a meat and rice dish with mantu – an Afghan dumpling filled with meat, onions and spices – washed down with a can of Pepsi
The Youtuber was also invited to the nikah (pictured), an integral part of Islamic weddings in which a formal marriage contract is signed by both the groom and bride
In keeping with the regressive nature of the Taliban, which has cracked down harshly on women’s rights over the last few years, the bride was not present at the nikah
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women have been increasingly erased from public spaces
For the sit-down meal the wedding attendees were served a meat and rice dish with mantu – an Afghan dumpling filled with meat, onions and spices – washed down with a can of Pepsi.
The video abruptly ends after Routledge was told to stop filming the rest of the festivities.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women have been increasingly erased from public spaces, prompting the United Nations to denounce the ‘gender apartheid’ the administration has established.
Taliban authorities have banned post-primary education for girls and women, restricted employment and blocked access to parks and other public places.
In October, the Taliban banned women from hearing other women’s voices in a cruel rule which sparked fears that women will now no longer be able to talk to each other.
‘Sodomy’ and same-sex relationships are still punishable with long prison terms, while stoning became a commonplace punishment for ‘moral crimes’ like adultery.
Lavish gifts of two cars – adorned with flowers – were given to the groom
At the time, some were willing to turn a blind eye to the Taliban’s excesses, hoping they might bring stable rule to the country.
Many in Afghanistan believed rights for women would be restored once institutions were rebuilt. Girls under 12 can go to school, but the number being deliberately denied an education has massively increased in recent years, per UNESCO.
Some still hope that one day, the Taliban will ease its grip, allowing women to return to school and work, and scaling back the graphic, violent means of punishment in its arsenal.
To date, there is still nothing to suggest that will happen anytime soon.
