Live Fire Breaks Up Women’s Protest in Herat, Two Killed
Taliban police opened fire on a small group of protesters in Herat, that gathered to demand that women be released from detention for alleged hijab infractions. Witnesses say shots were fired into the air and smaller arms were used to knock down participants.
According to medics, two people died and multiple others were injured. The police deny any deaths, stating only that security was maintained.
One protester, speaking to AFP, described the crowd being struck with sticks and whips and that “the police fired shots into the air” while another photographer noted “a significant number of injuries”.
UN special rapporteur on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, posted on X that the attack was “alarmingly excessive” and urged the Taliban to be held accountable.
The July crackdown followed new hijab enforcement rules introduced May 2022, and has seen arrests of women who do not wear a hijab properly, fueling anxiety.
Reports of arrests were denied by the Herat Provincial Information and Culture Department, branding rumors as incorrect, yet residents observed officers combing the city for non‑compliant dress.
The protest—marked by chants of “education, work, freedom”—remains a rare public statement against the Taliban’s stringent gender controls.
