Taliban bans chess

Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government's morality law, a sports official said yesterday.

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Kabul -

The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021.

"Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling," which is prohibited according to the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani said.

"There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said.