Two killed in rare street demonstration over women's rights in Afghanistan
Source: The Guardian
Two killed in rare street demonstration over women’s rights in Afghanistan
A child reported among those killed when Taliban forces fired on crowds in Herat, who were protesting over arrests of women accused of violating hijab dress code
Ruchi Kumar, Ghazaal Mohammadi and Rukhshana Media reporters
Wed 10 Jun 2026 10.35 BST
Last modified on Wed 10 Jun 2026 17.53 BST
A Taliban crackdown on women’s dress code in Afghanistan has escalated into a rare mass street protest in the western province of Herat, with at least two people, including one boy, killed by security forces.
Officials made a wave of arrests in recent days targeting women and young girls accused of “improper hijab”. Residents say many families had received no information about the whereabouts or condition of those detained.
Witnesses told Rukshana Media that about 70 people joined the demonstration on Tuesday despite a heavy Taliban security presence, chanting slogans including “Education, work and freedom” and denouncing what they described as the arbitrary arrests of women.
“People were afraid, but they still came out,” said one resident.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jun/10/two-killed-in-rare-street-demonstration-over-womens-rights-in-afghanistan
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