KABUL: Taliban authorities in Herat have detained a number of women and girls during patrols in the city, according to local sources.
Sources said the detentions took place on Thursday when female personnel from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice were conducting patrols across Herat.
According to local accounts, the female personnel were wearing masks and stopped several women and girls before placing them in vehicles and taking them away.
The exact number of women detained and the reasons given for their detention remain unclear. There was also no immediate information about their whereabouts or whether they had been released.
The Taliban’s morality authorities have been enforcing rules related to clothing, public conduct and movement across Afghanistan. Women in several provinces have previously faced restrictions and detentions over alleged violations of Taliban regulations.
The latest incident has raised concerns among local residents about the enforcement of restrictions against women in Herat. However, details of the operation, including the identities of those detained and any charges against them, remain unavailable.
No official statement from Taliban authorities regarding the reported detentions was included in the available information.
The incident comes amid continuing international concern over restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule, particularly regarding their freedom of movement, education, employment and participation in public life.