Key facts
- Taliban forces killed at least two people, including a child, during a protest in Herat, Afghanistan.
- The demonstration was sparked by the arbitrary arrest of women and girls for alleged "improper hijab".
- Around 70 people participated in the protest, chanting slogans for education, work, and freedom.
- Witnesses reported Taliban forces fired on the crowd, leading to casualties and detentions.
- Human rights organizations condemned the violent suppression of dissent and ongoing repression of women's freedoms.
Taliban security forces killed at least two people, including a child, and wounded three others during a rare street demonstration in Afghanistan's western Herat province. The protest on Tuesday involved approximately 70 individuals chanting slogans against the Taliban's crackdown on women's dress codes and arbitrary arrests.
Witnesses reported that Taliban forces fired on the crowd and deployed special units to disperse the gathering. In addition to the fatalities and injuries, at least 13 people were detained and reportedly beaten by officials. The UN confirmed one of the deceased was a child.
The demonstration was reportedly a response to recent arrests of women and young girls accused of "improper hijab." Residents expressed anger over these detentions, unemployment, and the continued closure of schools, with some activists claiming the arrested women were dressed modestly.
Human Rights Watch noted that the protests stemmed from anger over the arrests and the Taliban's perceived interference in personal privacy. Amnesty International stated the event reflects growing public anger at the Taliban's systematic targeting of women and girls and intensifying repression of freedoms.
Taliban authorities, however, denied reports of women being detained over hijab violations, with a spokesman in Herat calling such reports "baseless."