Afghan security forces dispersed a rare protest in Herat against dress code detentions, with witnesses reporting two deaths from live fire and multiple arrests. Taliban authorities deny fatalities.
The protest and violent crackdown highlight the intensifying repression of women's rights and freedoms under Taliban rule, underscoring the growing public anger and the regime's continued reliance on brutality to maintain control.
Taliban security forces dispersed a rare women's protest in Herat, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, with witnesses reporting two deaths and multiple injuries from live fire. The demonstration was a response to recent arrests of women and girls accused of improperly wearing the hijab. Approximately 70 people joined the protest, chanting slogans for "Education, work and freedom." Witnesses stated that Taliban forces fired on the crowd and deployed special units to disperse the gathering, resulting in two reported deaths, three wounded, and at least 13 detentions. Videos shared with media outlets appear to show armed fighters shooting towards protesters. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemned the actions, highlighting the Taliban's systematic targeting of women and girls and their reliance on fear to silence dissent. The Taliban, however, denied reports of women being detained over their hijab, calling such claims "baseless."
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