Women’s protests in Herat turn violent; one child killed and several injured

During women’s protests in Herat, at least one child has been killed and several others injured as a result of violence linked to the incident. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that it has confirmed the death of a child by gunshot and stated that investigations into other possible casualties are ongoing. According to reports, the protests began in the Jebraeel area of Herat following the spread of news about the arrest of women by the Taliban. A number of female protesters gathered chanting slogans in support of “work, education and freedom.” Witnesses have said that during the dispersal of protesters, Taliban forces used violence and opened fire. However, the Taliban police spokesman in Herat, Sayed Masoud Hosseini, said that no weapons were used in the incident and claimed that the protesters had intended to disrupt public order. International media have also reported that in addition to the killing of a child, several others were injured, although the exact casualty figures have not yet been finalised.