Deadly rare anti-Taliban protest erupts in Afghanistan

Violent clashes broke out in the city of Herat in an almost unprecedented incident, as women, girls and men launched a protest after an enforcement campaign targeting women's clothing. Taliban forces fired at civilians at the center of the demonstration.

Hundreds of people demonstrated yesterday in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Eyewitnesses described unusual violence by the authorities. A woman and a child were killed, many others were injured and dozens were arrested. The Taliban denied behaving brutally, saying, "We respect women's rights." The protesters chanted, "Education, work, freedom," a slogan reflecting the protest against the regime.

Hundreds of residents took to the streets yesterday, Tuesday, in the western Afghan city of Herat in a rare protest against Taliban rule, after reports of arrests of women and girls on the grounds that they had not complied with the strict Islamic dress rules imposed in the country. According to eyewitnesses and protesters, Taliban security forces dispersed the demonstration with live fire, batons and whips. According to reports, the protests against the Taliban in Herat are continuing today.

The protest erupted after, in recent days, local reports said members of the Taliban's "morality police" began arresting women suspected of not wearing the Islamic head covering properly, as required by the authorities. Residents said that since the weekend women had been seen being arrested in the city streets, and that inspectors checked vehicles and rickshaws to identify women whose clothing was considered inappropriate.

According to medical officials quoted by the BBC, a woman and a child were killed during the crackdown on the unrest. In addition, more than a dozen people were reported injured, and several were hit by gunfire. A doctor at a local hospital said at least three people were hospitalized after being wounded by gunfire. Other eyewitnesses claimed that dozens of people, including women and girls, were arrested during the dispersal of the protest.

The Taliban denied that there were any deaths or injuries as a result of police gunfire. Herat police spokesman Sayed Masoud Hussaini said security forces "acted to maintain public order and security." According to him, the protesters created tensions in the Jabra'il area of the city under the pretext of protesting issues related to the hijab requirement, which he described as a religious obligation.

However, eyewitnesses said security forces used violent means to disperse the crowd. One protester said the forces used batons, whips and firearms, and even fired into the air. A photographer who was there said he saw security personnel beating protesters and shooting toward the crowd. He said a significant number of people were injured.

Rare footage released from the clashes shows security forces firing at the protesters. Videos circulated on social media and reviewed by international media outlets heard gunfire, while women were heard shouting at the forces not to beat the protesters. In additional clips, people were seen fleeing for cover as gunshots were heard in the background. Other videos documented protesters throwing stones at security forces.

According to reports, among the chants heard at the demonstration were "Education, work, freedom," a slogan reflecting the opposition of many women to Taliban policy since its return to power in August 2021.

The protest in Herat is considered especially unusual. Since the Taliban seized control of the country, demonstrations in general, and women's demonstrations in particular, have become rare. In recent years the group has imposed a long list of restrictions on women and girls, including limits on access to education, employment, sports, freedom of movement and participation in public life.

The requirement for women to wear the hijab was formally imposed in May 2022, but according to reports, the broad enforcement campaign in Herat began only in recent days. Some residents even claimed the authorities targeted women who were already wearing the required clothing, which includes full coverage of the hair and face.

Various Taliban figures gave conflicting accounts over the past day regarding the arrests. While residents, eyewitnesses and UN officials reported dozens of women and girls detained, local officials denied it. The head of Herat's "Department for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," Sheikh Azizur Rahman al-Muhajir, claimed the reports of women being arrested for violating hijab rules were false and that department inspectors "settled for giving instructions and explanations."

The events also drew international reactions. Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, expressed deep concern over the excessive use of force against protesters whom he described as peaceful. He called for respect for citizens' freedom of expression, especially that of women and girls, and for those responsible for the violence to be brought to justice.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan also expressed concern over reports of women's arrests in the west of the country for allegedly failing to meet dress requirements, and called on the Taliban authorities to respect freedom of movement and equality before the law. The Taliban, meanwhile, continues to claim that it "respects women's rights in accordance with its interpretation of Islamic law."