Afghan women’s groups boldly gathered in Kabul and Herat, seeking equality and fundamental rights to be included in the Taliban-controlled government.
On Saturday, female protesters tried to reach the former government office in Kabul but were stopped by Taliban guards. This is just one of several protests held by women last week.
A shared video ToloAccording to news from Afghanistan’s 24-hour news channel, the guards appeared to be cooperating and claimed that they would send information about the protesters to the elderly.
But the video also showed a woman shouting “Why are you hitting us?”
According to the protesters, the Taliban forces used tear gas to stop the protests.#TOLO News
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) September 4, 2021
Zabihullah Mujahid, a senior Taliban official, said the Taliban had arrested four men who attacked protesters on Saturday and pointed their guns at reporters in order to disperse women’s rights demonstrations in Kabul.
Muhammad Jalal, a member of the Taliban Cultural Committee, tweeted that the protests were “a deliberate attempt to create problems” and that “these people cannot even represent 0.1% of Afghanistan”.
But other accounts indicate that these women have been subjected to severe violence.
“We and a group of colleagues wanted to go to protest near the former government office. But before we arrived, the Taliban beat women with electric taser guns. They used tear gas on women. They also beat women.” A self-proclaimed “Soraya” Former government employees participated in the protests, Tell Reuters.
According to reports, Afghan women are afraid of returning to an era when severe punishment and extremely limited rights prevail. Before the United States entered Afghanistan, many women could not work or even go out without covering their faces.
“When the Taliban came 25 years ago, they prevented me from going to school,” reporter Azita Nazimi told TOLO.
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Amnesty International pointed out in 2014 After the Taliban were disbanded by the U.S. Armed Forces, “progress has been made in protecting the rights of Afghan women.”
Some people question whether the Taliban can handle a well-functioning new government after decades of instability.
On Saturday, General Mark Milli, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed doubts about the future of Afghanistan.
“My military estimate is that the conditions of the civil war may develop. I don’t know whether the Taliban can consolidate power and establish governance,” Milli told Fox News.
Milli said that if it is unsuccessful, it could “in turn lead to the reorganization of Al Qaeda or the growth of the Islamic State” within three years.
The Taliban claimed that their government positions will be announced soon. Women may be part of the government but cannot hold any “ministerial positions.”
