Taliban morality police detained at least three women in the Bakrabad area of Herat on Tuesday evening, according to information from local sources.
Sources said the women were arrested despite wearing what the Taliban considers “full hijab”.
Sources said Taliban vice and virtue enforcers had also followed two women wearing burqas the previous day after accusing them of wearing make-up.
The developments suggest that the Taliban’s enforcement measures targeting women’s appearance in Herat have expanded beyond what the group defines as improper hijab.
Local sources said women are now also being targeted over issues such as wearing make-up, high-heeled shoes or clothing considered different by Taliban authorities.
The arrests come amid continued restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women’s lives, including limits on education, employment and freedom of movement since the group returned to power.
In 2023, the Taliban ordered the closure of women’s beauty salons across Afghanistan, forcing thousands of businesses to shut down and affecting women who depended on the sector for employment.
Reports indicate that despite the ban, some beauty salons have continued operating secretly in different areas. Such establishments have reportedly faced searches and raids by Taliban morality police.
Since early 2024, reports of women and girls being detained over alleged “improper hijab” have emerged from several Afghan cities, including Kabul, Daikundi, Balkh and Herat.
The latest reports indicate that enforcement actions are increasingly extending beyond head coverings to broader restrictions on women’s personal choices and public appearance.
The Taliban’s policies towards women have drawn widespread criticism from international rights organizations and the United Nations, which have repeatedly called for the reversal of restrictions on women’s education, employment and public participation.
