A number of residents in Afghanistan’s Helmand province say the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has intensified pressure on women in recent days under the pretext of enforcing the group’s dress code. According to local sources, more than 10 women have been detained over the past week for allegedly failing to comply with the Taliban’s hijab requirements.
Residents of Lashkar Gah say most of the detentions took place around the women’s market in the Karte Lagan area. They say the crackdown has not only heightened fear among women but has also led to a sharp decline in business activity at the market.
Local sources further reported that several other women were detained over the past two days for allegedly failing to observe the required hijab or for not being accompanied by a mahram (a male guardian). Eyewitnesses also reported an altercation between a Taliban morality inspector and a woman near the market, which they said ended after bystanders intervened.
According to residents, surveillance and inspections of women at the market have intensified since the incident, and many women are now avoiding the market for fear of arrest. Shopkeepers say the decline in customers has severely affected their businesses, with some struggling to pay the rent for their shops.
The Taliban have not yet commented on reports of the detentions or the increased restrictions on women in Helmand.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
