Two women were shot dead in Kabul on Monday during a rare public demonstration by Afghan women demanding equal rights, according to hospital officials. The protest, which drew several dozen women to the gates of a government building, marks one of the most direct challenges to the Taliban’s patriarchal edicts since their return to power in August 2021.
Witnesses reported that armed members of the Taliban’s morality police opened fire after the crowd refused to disperse. The protest had been called to mark the second anniversary of the fall of the previous Western-backed government, and to demand the restoration of women’s access to secondary education and employment.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, issued a statement condemning the killings as “a brutal and unjustified attack on peaceful protestors.” He called on the Taliban to “immediately investigate, hold those responsible to account, and ensure the protection of all Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls.”
France and Germany have also expressed outrage. The European Union warned that the incident could further isolate the Taliban regime internationally. No country currently recognises the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
Afghan women have largely been excluded from public life under the new rulers. Universities and most secondary schools remain closed to girls, and women are banned from working in many sectors. Mobility restrictions require women to be accompanied by a male guardian outside the home.
The protest was unusual in its size and location. Taliban officials have promised to permit protests within certain limits, but have consistently enforced bans on gatherings critical of the regime. Monday’s events suggest that the authorities retain a zero-tolerance approach to dissent.
UK diplomatic sources confirm that the British embassy in Kabul, which operates from Doha, Qatar, has been in contact with Taliban representatives. Britain has reduced its aid to Afghanistan, but continues to fund humanitarian programmes.
Analysts caution that the incident may discourage further public demonstrations by women, who face severe risks. The Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which oversees the morality police, has not yet commented.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called for an impartial investigation. Its statement described the killings as a “grave violation of international human rights law.”
The Taliban’s record on women’s rights remains a key obstacle to any normalisation of ties with the international community. The protest and its violent suppression underline the profound gulf between the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic governance and the expectations of global powers.
As night fell in Kabul, the streets were quiet. Residents said the atmosphere was tense. No further protests have been reported.
