The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has once again unleashed a wave of repression against women, marking a blatant abuse of human rights and reinforcing global fears that the country is slipping deeper into authoritarian darkness.
Over the weekend, Taliban authorities detained dozens of young women in western Kabul, primarily in the Dasht-e Barchi area. According to local sources, forces from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice carried out aggressive raids across key locations including the 20-Metre Road, Barchi City Centre, and Rasalat Alley, forcibly arresting women without the presence of any female officers.
Eyewitnesses reported the use of force during the detentions, with footage showing distressed women being rounded up by Taliban enforcers. This is the second large-scale operation in a matter of days. Earlier, around 100 women were detained from the Shahr-e Naw area—some from streets, others from hospitals and markets—despite most of them reportedly adhering to the Islamic dress code.
Families remain unaware of their loved ones’ whereabouts, and the Taliban has so far failed to offer any justification for the arrests.
These draconian actions highlight the Taliban’s return to its repressive rule of the 1990s, where punishing women and enforcing extreme restrictions were central to its governance. In the 21st century, Afghanistan remains shackled by medieval ideologies that systematically strip women of dignity, freedom, and basic rights.
The regime’s strict policies have forced countless Afghans to flee their homeland, seeking refuge in countries where human rights are respected. Women, in particular, are living under constant threat—facing bans, surveillance, arrests, and humiliation for simply existing in public spaces.
In a bold response, the Afghanistan Freedom Front has now declared the Taliban’s so-called Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue as a military target. Former Afghan leaders and international rights groups have condemned the arrests, labeling them as unlawful, unjust, and in total violation of fundamental human rights.
The world watches in silence, while Afghan women are once again paying the heaviest price for merely wanting to live with dignity.
