HERAT (News Desk) –Taliban security forces dispersed a women’s rights protest in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat on Tuesday following reports that morality police had detained women accused of violating the country’s strict dress code regulations.
Witnesses said the demonstration erupted in the Jebrail area after officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice attempted to arrest women allegedly opposing mandatory dress requirements.
According to local residents, one person was killed, several others were injured and dozens of people, including women and girls, were detained during the unrest. Taliban authorities have not officially confirmed any casualties or arrests.
Herat police spokesperson Sayed Masoud Hosseini told state-run media that the gathering had created tensions and disrupted public order under the pretext of opposing the hijab, which authorities regard as a religious obligation.
Residents claimed some women targeted by officials were already complying with the required dress code, which mandates extensive covering of the face and body.
Videos circulating from the scene appeared to show armed Taliban personnel dispersing protesters, including fully veiled women. Footage also captured people running for safety as gunfire was heard nearby.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban administration has imposed wide-ranging restrictions on women and girls, including limits on education, employment and participation in sports, drawing criticism from the international community.
The incident comes a day after the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan expressed concern over reports of women being detained in western Afghanistan for allegedly failing to comply with dress regulations.
The UN mission urged Taliban authorities to uphold freedom of movement and ensure equality before the law.
