Afghan authorities cracked down on a protest in western Afghanistan Tuesday against the arrest and detention of more than a dozen women over dress code violations, with eyewitnesses saying police opened fire, leaving at least three people injured. About 100-150 people were participating in the protest in the western city of Herat, witnesses said.
Protests are rare in Afghanistan, which has been run by the Taliban since 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led forces. The government has since imposed rules governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic, or Shariah, law. Dissent is not tolerated, and protests against government decisions are illegal. The regulations include draconian restrictions on women and girls, including bans on education beyond primary school and what women can wear.
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