Taliban Arrest Six Women in Herat for “Improper Hijab”
In a continuation of the Taliban’s harsh restrictions on women, local sources in Herat report that the group’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has detained several women and girls in recent days for what they describe as "violating Islamic dress codes."
According to the sources, on Saturday, August 2, 2025, the Taliban arrested six women and girls in the Al-Mahdi Jabraeel township — a predominantly Hazara-populated area in Herat — as they were visiting a public clinic. The women were reportedly forced into military vehicles, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Another source confirmed the incident and said that over the past two weeks, the Taliban has intensified its operations targeting women accused of “improper hijab” in high-traffic and crowded areas of Herat. These patrols and arrests are reportedly occurring daily.
This comes amid similar actions in Kabul, where Taliban forces recently detained dozens of women in Shahr-e Naw and Dasht-e Barchi neighborhoods under the same pretext. Many of the women were taken into custody without any legal process.
The recent wave of arrests has drawn sharp domestic and international criticism. In a statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the Taliban’s actions, stating that such measures further isolate women, fuel fear and mistrust in society, and significantly hinder women’s ability to participate in public life.
