Police break up anti-hijab protest in Herat amid reports of casualties

HERAT: Afghan security personnel dispersed a women’s rights protest in the western province of Herat on Tuesday after residents said Taliban morality police had detained women accused of breaching compulsory dress rules.

Witnesses said one person was killed, several others were injured and dozens of people, including women and girls, were taken into custody. Taliban authorities have not confirmed the reported casualties or arrests.

Sayed Masoud Hosseini, spokesperson for Herat police, told the state-run Bakhtar News Agency that the gathering in the Jebrail area had

created tensions

and disrupted public order under the pretext of opposing the hijab, which he said was a religious obligation.

Protest followed reported detentions

According to witnesses, the protest began after officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice tried to detain women who were objecting to the mandatory dress requirements.

Some residents said the authorities also targeted women who were already complying with the dress code, which requires the face and body to be fully covered.

Videos circulating from Herat showed armed officials moving to disperse the demonstration. Fully veiled women could be seen among the protesters, and in one video people were seen running for safety while gunfire could be heard.

UN mission voices concern

On Monday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it was concerned by reports that women had been detained in western Afghanistan for allegedly failing to comply with dress requirements.

The UN mission called on Taliban authorities to uphold freedom of movement and equality before the law.

Since returning to power in Kabul in 2021, the Taliban administration has introduced broad restrictions on women and girls across Afghanistan, including curbs on education, employment and sports, prompting widespread international criticism.

Herat, once considered one of Afghanistan’s most socially and culturally dynamic cities, has seen major changes under Taliban rule.