Taliban disperse anti-hijab protest in Herat amid reports of casualties and arrests

HERAT: Afghan security personnel broke up 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 mandatory dress regulations.

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 any deaths, injuries 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 described as a religious obligation.

Residents said the protest began when officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice tried to detain women objecting to compulsory dress rules. Some residents also said the officials targeted women who were already following the prescribed code, which requires full covering of the face and body.

Videos from Herat showed armed officials moving to disperse the demonstration, with fully veiled women visible among the protesters. In one video clip, people could be seen running for safety while gunfire was heard in the background.

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

Since taking control of Kabul in 2021, the Taliban have introduced wide-ranging restrictions on women and girls across Afghanistan, including curbs on education, employment and sports, prompting broad international criticism.

Herat, which has long been seen as one of Afghanistan’s more socially and culturally active cities, has also seen marked changes under Taliban rule. The Taliban, for their part, say they respect women’s rights in line with their interpretation of Sharia.