Senior figures from two major Afghan opposition groups have condemned the recent wave of arrests of women and girls by the Taliban in Kabul, warning that the actions will not go unanswered.
Dawood Naji, head of the political committee of the Afghanistan Freedom Front, and Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front, both criticised the Taliban’s ongoing crackdown on women, calling it part of a wider campaign of repression.
In recent days, the Taliban have detained dozens of women and girls from various areas across the capital. The group has not issued any formal response to the growing domestic and international criticism regarding the detentions.
Naji, in a statement on social media, said the Taliban’s actions had exceeded the limits of human, religious, and cultural norms. He criticised those remaining silent, suggesting that inaction equates to complicity. He called for reflection on how much further such repression can be tolerated.
Nazary also responded to the arrests, describing them as only a small part of the broader suffering inflicted on Afghan women under Taliban rule. He linked the current situation to the Taliban’s systematic exclusion and targeting of women.
He further stated that regional and international actors have failed to address the root causes of Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, warning that as long as the Taliban remain in control, Afghan women will continue to seek safety and a better life abroad.
