The Taliban, who have ruled Afghanistan for almost a year, ended a peaceful protest by dozens of women for food, work and freedom with warning shots on Saturday. Footage of the event on social media shows militant Islamist Taliban forces firing shots and physically attacking the women in an attempt to disperse their gathering in the capital, Kabul.
On the same day, four people, including two Taliban, were injured when a bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded in western Kabul, a security official told the broadcaster Tolo News said. It was initially unclear who was behind the incident. The terrorist network Islamic State, which is hostile to the Taliban, has repeatedly carried out attacks in the country.
Right to education, work, freedom of movement
As the first anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover on August 15 approaches, women have taken to the streets to denounce the imposed restrictions on their rights to education, work and freedom of movement. “We are in a pharmacy, they locked us in here,” said an activist in one of the videos from Saturday’s recent demonstration. Among other things, the demonstrators chanted that they were tired of discrimination against women. Another video showed a small group of women being cornered by the Taliban in a closed place.
Since their return to power in August 2021 as a result of the withdrawal of international troops, especially the United States, the Sunni Taliban have restricted women’s basic rights and repeatedly suppressed protests against them. No country has yet recognized their de facto government.