Afghanistan: Women Protest Against All-Male Taliban Government

Dozens of women in Kabul and the north-eastern Afghan province of Badakhshan have protested against the formation of an all-male interim Taliban government to rule Afghanistan.

Demonstrators said they would not accept a government with no women ministers. Some women were reportedly beaten before the protests were dispersed.

Local news organisation Etilaatroz said some of its journalists were detained and beaten for covering the rally.

The Taliban, who have not responded to the allegations, warned that such protests were illegal. They have said protesters needed permission to march, and should not use what they called abusive language.

On Tuesday, three people were killed during a demonstration in the western city of Herat.

The EU said the Islamist group had reneged on promises to make their government “inclusive and representative”, while the US also expressed concern that the interim government includes figures linked to attacks on US forces.

Addressing reporters after a virtual meeting of 20 Western nations on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban’s government “certainly does not meet the test of inclusivity, and it includes people who have very challenging track records”.