"For example, in Afghanistan, the Talibans destruction of the giant Buddha statues at Bamiyan in 2001 CE was directed, perhaps, more as a protest against international sanctions and withholding of humanitarian aid, rather than as an attack against Buddhism and Buddhists per se. No Buddhists, after all, lived in Afghanistan, worshipping the statues"
berzinarchives.com
Scrolled through the site, odd they'd make such a claim with zero references or support for it.