Blab Politics
Taliban Opens Fire on Herat Protesters, Killing Two and Injuring Dozens
On June 9, 2026, a small crowd of about 70 people gathered in Herat’s city center to protest the Taliban’s recent arrests of women and girls accused of violating the regime’s strict dress code. Protesters held signs and chanted slogans demanding education, work and freedom. The demonstration was met with a swift and deadly response from Taliban security forces.
According to eyewitness accounts reported to The Guardian, Taliban police opened fire on the crowd, killing a boy and injuring several others. A United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) press release issued on June 10 confirmed that at least one person was killed by gunfire and that a second fatality was reported by medics on the scene. The UN report also noted that several attendees suffered injuries from beatings by officials.
The Taliban’s spokesperson for the Herat Provincial Police Command, Sayed Masoud Hosseini, told the state‑run Bakhtar News Agency that the protestors had “created tensions” and had “disturbed public order” by not wearing the Islamic hijab, which he described as a divine obligation. The incident follows a wave of arrests in early June that targeted women and girls for allegedly failing to wear the burka or chador with a face mask, a dress code imposed by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
International human‑rights groups reacted swiftly. On June 11, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch released a joint statement condemning the Taliban’s use of live fire against peaceful protesters. The statement called for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the use of force by Taliban officials, noting that such actions violate international law.
The United Nations has repeatedly criticized the Taliban’s treatment of women. In 2024, the UN described Afghanistan as the world’s most repressive country for women, citing the regime’s restrictions on education, employment, and movement. The UN’s latest press release on June 11 reiterated that the Taliban’s use of force against protesters is “unlawful” and urged the Taliban to align with its international human‑rights obligations.
The Herat protest is part of a broader pattern of resistance to the Taliban’s policies. In February 2026, Taliban forces intensified enforcement of dress‑code rules in Herat, prompting local businesses to report a decline in female customers. The crackdown has also led to a rise in women leaving the country for neighboring Iran to pursue education and employment.
The incident in Herat has drawn condemnation from governments and international organizations. In Canada and across Europe, protests were held on June 15 to denounce the Taliban’s tyranny and the killing of civilians. The United Nations has warned that the Taliban’s continued use of violence against civilians could amount to crimes against humanity.
The Taliban’s response to the protest has been described by some observers as a “clinical consistency” in its approach to dissent. The regime has historically used public corporal punishments and executions to enforce its interpretation of Islamic law, and the current crackdown on women’s dress codes is consistent with that pattern.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has called for a thorough investigation into the incident. The mission’s latest report stresses that the use of force against peaceful protesters is a violation of international human‑rights law and that the Taliban must conduct an independent inquiry.
The situation in Herat remains tense. Taliban forces have increased security presence in the city following the protest, and the regime has tightened restrictions on women’s movement and public participation. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with the UN and human‑rights groups urging the Taliban to respect the rights of Afghan women and to refrain from using lethal force against civilians.
The incident underscores the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in Afghanistan and highlights the Taliban’s continued use of violence to suppress dissent. The international community’s response and the Taliban’s willingness to investigate the use of force will be critical in determining whether the regime can be held accountable for its actions.
According to eyewitness accounts reported to The Guardian, Taliban police opened fire on the crowd, killing a boy and injuring several others. A United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) press release issued on June 10 confirmed that at least one person was killed by gunfire and that a second fatality was reported by medics on the scene. The UN report also noted that several attendees suffered injuries from beatings by officials.
The Taliban’s spokesperson for the Herat Provincial Police Command, Sayed Masoud Hosseini, told the state‑run Bakhtar News Agency that the protestors had “created tensions” and had “disturbed public order” by not wearing the Islamic hijab, which he described as a divine obligation. The incident follows a wave of arrests in early June that targeted women and girls for allegedly failing to wear the burka or chador with a face mask, a dress code imposed by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
International human‑rights groups reacted swiftly. On June 11, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch released a joint statement condemning the Taliban’s use of live fire against peaceful protesters. The statement called for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the use of force by Taliban officials, noting that such actions violate international law.
The United Nations has repeatedly criticized the Taliban’s treatment of women. In 2024, the UN described Afghanistan as the world’s most repressive country for women, citing the regime’s restrictions on education, employment, and movement. The UN’s latest press release on June 11 reiterated that the Taliban’s use of force against protesters is “unlawful” and urged the Taliban to align with its international human‑rights obligations.
The Herat protest is part of a broader pattern of resistance to the Taliban’s policies. In February 2026, Taliban forces intensified enforcement of dress‑code rules in Herat, prompting local businesses to report a decline in female customers. The crackdown has also led to a rise in women leaving the country for neighboring Iran to pursue education and employment.
The incident in Herat has drawn condemnation from governments and international organizations. In Canada and across Europe, protests were held on June 15 to denounce the Taliban’s tyranny and the killing of civilians. The United Nations has warned that the Taliban’s continued use of violence against civilians could amount to crimes against humanity.
The Taliban’s response to the protest has been described by some observers as a “clinical consistency” in its approach to dissent. The regime has historically used public corporal punishments and executions to enforce its interpretation of Islamic law, and the current crackdown on women’s dress codes is consistent with that pattern.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has called for a thorough investigation into the incident. The mission’s latest report stresses that the use of force against peaceful protesters is a violation of international human‑rights law and that the Taliban must conduct an independent inquiry.
The situation in Herat remains tense. Taliban forces have increased security presence in the city following the protest, and the regime has tightened restrictions on women’s movement and public participation. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with the UN and human‑rights groups urging the Taliban to respect the rights of Afghan women and to refrain from using lethal force against civilians.
The incident underscores the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in Afghanistan and highlights the Taliban’s continued use of violence to suppress dissent. The international community’s response and the Taliban’s willingness to investigate the use of force will be critical in determining whether the regime can be held accountable for its actions.
