Protests Erupt Against Taliban as Girls are Banned from Attending School

A group of Afghan women organized a protest in Kabul, reported Aamaj News on January 11. According to the agency, the participants voiced their opposition to the policies enforced by the Taliban, the radical movement that has seized power in Afghanistan.

Protesters carried placards calling for an end to the "tyranny of the Taliban." Since the Taliban came to power, they have reportedly imposed various temporary restrictions on women and girls, justifying these measures as necessary to create an environment in the state that aligns with Islam.

For instance, the radicals have abolished the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, which existed for around 20 years, and replaced it with an entity reminiscent of the one that operated between 1996 and 2001 – the period when the Taliban previously ruled Afghanistan – endowed with the functions of an Islamic "morality police." Furthermore, representatives of the Taliban have restricted girls' access to schools in most provinces of the country, mandated female television presenters to wear hijabs, and instructed local television channels to refrain from airing films with female participation.

Additionally, women are absent from the Taliban's interim government, which has sparked severe criticism from the international community, as reported by TASS.