Taliban forces have reportedly arrested at least 10 female online vendors from a residential unit in west Kabul, according to sources familiar with the incident.
The arrests are said to have taken place as part of what sources describe as the Taliban’s ongoing campaign of arbitrary detentions of citizens. The detainees were reportedly involved in online selling activities, although further details about their businesses and the reasons for their arrests remain unclear.
Sources confirmed the detentions to media on Wednesday, 18 Sunbula/Shahrivar, raising renewed concerns over the treatment of women engaged in economic activities under Taliban rule.
The reported arrests come amid continued restrictions affecting women’s participation in public and economic life in Afghanistan. Many Afghan women have increasingly relied on home-based and online businesses as opportunities for employment and formal work have become more limited.
No further details were immediately available regarding the identities of the detained women, their current whereabouts or whether any formal charges have been brought against them.
The Taliban administration has not been quoted in the report as providing an official explanation for the arrests. The circumstances surrounding the detentions therefore remain subject to further clarification and independent verification.
The reported incident has added to concerns among rights advocates and Afghan women over restrictions and detentions affecting women and civilians across the country.