UN: Taliban arrest 30 women for hijab violations in Afghanistan; protests met with violence

Authorities in Afghanistan's western city of Herat arrested at least 30 women for allegedly violating dress rules imposed by the Taliban government, the UN agency for women's rights reported. The arrests have heightened fear and apprehension among women and girls across the country, though some of the detained women have since been released.

The situation escalated when protests against the arrests in Herat's Injil district on Tuesday were met with violence. UN Women stated that Taliban security forces allegedly opened fire on protesters, including men, women, and children, and administered beatings. At least two people, identified as a boy and another individual, were killed, and more than 20 were injured in the crackdown.

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The arrests have heightened fear and apprehension among women and girls across Afghanistan.

Local authorities have denied reports of women being arrested. However, media outlets indicated that officials from the Taliban's morality police, the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, had detained some women in the days prior for failing to comply with hijab regulations. Since regaining control in 2021, the Taliban have implemented severe restrictions on women's access to education, employment, and sports, which have drawn widespread international condemnation.

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Taliban security forces allegedly opened fire on protesters - men, women and children - administering beatings to some.