Key facts
- Taliban security forces killed at least two people, including a child, during a protest in Herat, Afghanistan.
- The demonstration involved around 70 people protesting recent arrests of women and girls for alleged "improper hijab."
- Witnesses reported Taliban forces fired on the crowd, resulting in two deaths and three wounded.
- At least 13 other individuals were detained and beaten by officials.
- Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemned the violent suppression of dissent and arbitrary detentions.
Taliban security forces killed at least two people, including a child, and wounded three others during a rare street demonstration in the western Afghan province of Herat. The protest, involving approximately 70 individuals, was a response to recent arrests of women and girls accused of "improper hijab."
Witnesses reported that Taliban forces fired on the crowd and later deployed special units to disperse the gathering. In addition to the fatalities and injuries, at least 13 others were detained and reportedly beaten by officials. The UN confirmed one of the deceased was a child.
Human Rights Watch stated that the arrests were arbitrary and seen by residents as an unacceptable interference in people's privacy. Amnesty International commented that the protest reflects growing public anger at the Taliban's systematic targeting of women and girls and intensifying repression of personal freedoms.
Protests are rare in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, as unauthorized gatherings are banned and dissent is met with harsh responses. Local activists claimed that the arrested women were dressed modestly, and the manhandling of fully covered women was considered a violation of family honor. A Taliban spokesman in Herat denied reports of detentions over hijab violations.