In the western Afghanistan province of Herat, security forces broke up a women's rights demonstration on Tuesday after many women were held by the Taliban morality police for allegedly breaking clothing codes, according to reports.
Witnesses reported that scores of individuals, including women and minors, were arrested, one person was killed, and numerous others were injured, as reported by Reuters.
In a separate report by the BBC, which quoted medics, said two women protestors were killed but did not specify how. Regarding any casualties or arrests, officials remained silent.
Herat police spokesperson, Sayed Masoud Hosseini, while talking to the state-run Bakhtar News Agency, said that the gathering in the Jebrail region had "created tensions" and disrupted public order under the guise of opposing the Islamic hijab, which he defined as a religious necessity.
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Sheikh Azizur Rahman Al-Muhajir, the head of Herat's Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, was cited by Bakhtar as claiming that it was inaccurate that women had been arrested for disobeying hijab regulations.
According to him, inspectors fulfilled their responsibilities by offering advice and spreading knowledge about the Islamic headscarf.
Since taking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have severely restricted women's and girls' access to education, jobs, and sports in the war-torn nation, which has drawn harsh criticism from around the world.
Herat, which was formerly thought to be one of Afghanistan's most socially and culturally active cities, has changed significantly.
Witnesses claimed that when morality officers tried to arrest women who disagreed with the required attire, protests broke out.
According to some locals, officials targeted those who were already adhering to the mandatory dress code, which calls for completely covering one's face and body.
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The demonstration, which included fully veiled women among the protesters, was broken up by armed personnel, according to a video that Reuters was unable to verify. In one video, gunshots could be heard in the background as people fled for safety.
The U.N. Assistance Mission expressed alarm on Monday about reports of women being held in western Afghanistan for allegedly not adhering to dress codes. The mission called on Taliban authorities to uphold equality before the law and freedom of movement.
According to the Taliban's understanding of Islamic law, women's rights are respected, stated a Taliban official.
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