A rare public protest erupted in Herat, western Afghanistan, after the Taliban intensified enforcement of women’s dress codes, leading to a wave of arrests. Witnesses reported that around 70 people took to the streets chanting for education, work, and freedom, despite heavy Taliban presence. Security forces responded with live fire, killing two and wounding several others, while at least 13 were detained after beatings. The demonstration marks an unusual act of defiance in a country where unauthorized gatherings are banned and dissent is often met with violence.

Activists say the detained women were wearing full hijab, challenging the Taliban’s justification for arrests. Organizers used encrypted WhatsApp groups to coordinate, reflecting both the risks and the determination behind the protest. The backlash stems not only from gender-based restrictions but also from broader grievances like unemployment and school closures. Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban has systematically excluded women from public life, banning them from schools, universities, most jobs, and public spaces.

Human rights groups condemned both the arrests and the violent crackdown, calling them part of a pattern of repression. The Taliban denied detaining women over hijab, calling such reports 'baseless,' despite multiple eyewitness accounts and videos showing armed fighters firing into crowds. The incident underscores rising tensions in Afghanistan, where years of suppressed dissent may be reaching a breaking point.