Two women were shot dead and several others injured in Kabul on Wednesday during a rare public demonstration against the Taliban’s escalating restrictions on female education and employment. The protest, one of the largest since the Islamist group seized power in 2021, was swiftly dispersed by armed security forces, witnesses said. The Taliban interior ministry confirmed the deaths, blaming “unidentified armed individuals” without providing further details.
The incident marks a significant escalation in the regime’s suppression of dissent, as women continue to defy the de facto authorities’ edicts banning them from universities, secondary schools, and most public sector jobs. The protest, which began outside the former Ministry of Women’s Affairs building, drew dozens of women demanding the reopening of schools and the restoration of their rights. Video footage obtained by international media showed moments of chaos as gunshots rang out, with protesters scattering and taking cover.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the killings, calling for an independent investigation. The crackdown has intensified in recent weeks, with the Taliban also closing beauty salons and parks to women. The latest violence underscores the growing tension between the regime’s conservative ideology and the aspirations of Afghan women, who have faced systematic exclusion from public life.
The international community has largely withheld recognition of the Taliban government, citing human rights abuses. The protest and its lethal aftermath are likely to deepen the impasse between Kabul and Western capitals, with aid deliveries and diplomatic engagement already frayed.
