Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, reacted to the suppression of recent protests in Herat against the Taliban’s stringent restrictions on women, describing these actions as a sign of “governance based on fear, humiliation, and violence.” He called upon the international community, as well as political and civil factions, to take an explicit stance against it.
Following a fresh wave of protests against strict dress code regulations for women in Herat, Taliban forces have engaged in widespread detentions of young women and girls in recent days on the charge of “improper hijab” - actions that, according to local sources, have been accompanied by violent crackdowns.
Reports also indicate that during the protests of the past few days, at least two individuals, including a child, have lost their lives. Concurrently, many families still have no information regarding the status and whereabouts of those detained.
Meanwhile, the Taliban has rejected reports concerning the detention of women and shootings targeting protesters, and the Herat police threatened in a statement that any action “disrupting public security” will face a “serious, Sharia-based, and principled” crackdown.
