Over 2,000 Publicly Flogged Under Taliban Rule, 291 Of Them Women

Members of the Afghanistan Women’s Freedom Lantern Movement gathered on a street in the capital ahead of International Women’s Day to protest restrictions imposed by the Taliban and to call for the protection of their fundamental rights.

In a statement, the movement said this year’s International Women’s Day comes as the crisis of women’s rights in Afghanistan has entered a deeper and more systematic phase.

It said sweeping restrictions on girls’ education, bans on women’s employment and the suppression of protests have placed millions of women under unprecedented pressure.

The statement added that Afghan women are now fighting not only for their basic rights but also to preserve their identity, dignity and presence in society.

The protesters urged the international community to prioritise practical, targeted and sustained support for Afghan women.

The movement also said political engagement with Afghanistan’s current rulers should not take place without consideration of women’s fundamental rights.

The protesters called for international accountability mechanisms to address widespread violations of women’s rights.

In recent years, the Taliban have harshly suppressed women’s street protests. Several female protesters have been detained, and reports of torture have emerged.

Despite widespread restrictions and repression, women occasionally take to the streets to protest Taliban policies and strict regulations targeting them.

International Women’s Day is observed on Sunday, March 8. Since returning to power, the Taliban have rolled back many of women’s rights in Afghanistan, gradually excluding them from public life.

Women have been stripped of basic rights, including the right to work, education and participation in political and social life. They are also barred from working in many institutions, including international organisations.

Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said the UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration are preparing assistance at Afghanistan’s border crossings.

Gagnon said the return of more than 4 million Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries has created a highly challenging situation.

She also referred to the closure of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border since October, saying it has had humanitarian and economic consequences for communities on both sides.

Gagnon urged all sides to reduce tensions, pursue dialogue and protect civilians.

She also pointed to the situation of Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule, saying the United Nations continues efforts to lift restrictions imposed on them.

She warned the restrictions could have serious economic, political and social consequences for Afghanistan and remain a major obstacle to the country’s gradual reintegration into the international system and the fulfilment of its international obligations.

In an interview with TOLOnews, Mujahid said the issue was raised during talks between Taliban and Pakistani officials in Doha and Istanbul.

He said the Pakistani side proposed using the word “border” instead of “Durand Line”.

Mujahid said he told Pakistani officials that neither previous Afghan governments nor the Taliban recognise the line as the official boundary between the two countries. He added that the issue should not lead to further tensions or conflict between Kabul and Islamabad.

Pakistan and the Taliban agreed to an immediate ceasefire in October this year during talks in Doha mediated by Qatar and Turkey. At the time, Qatar said it hoped the step would help reduce tensions along the frontier between the two countries and create a foundation for lasting peace in the region.

Qatar later removed the word “border” from its statement following criticism.

Some critics said the Qatari statement suggested the Taliban had accepted the Durand Line as the border between the two countries, contrary to their official position.

Mujahid led the Taliban delegation in talks with Pakistani officials headed by Khawaja Asif in Doha in October 2025. The two sides agreed to a temporary ceasefire, but several later rounds of talks in Turkey and Saudi Arabia failed to produce a formal agreement.

The status of the Durand Line has long been a source of dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghan governments over the decades have not recognised it as the official border, while Pakistan considers it the international boundary between the two countries.

During the interview, Mujahid warned that instability in Kabul would affect Islamabad.

“If Kabul becomes unstable, Islamabad will also become destabilized. If Kabul is attacked, Islamabad will also be targeted,” he said.

He added that the Taliban remain committed to resolving differences through negotiations and diplomacy, but said Pakistan had rejected talks with the group.

Referring to recent clashes, Mujahid claimed several Pakistani soldiers had been killed in retaliation for the death of one Afghan. Pakistan, however, says more than 500 Taliban fighters have been killed in the ongoing fighting.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesperson, cited recent Pakistani strikes in several Afghan provinces, the expulsion and alleged mistreatment of Afghan migrants in Pakistan, and civilian casualties. He said the Security Council should fulfil its responsibility to help end the situation.

In a statement Saturday, Mujahid described Pakistan’s actions as “inhumane” and said many civilians had been killed and displaced as a result of the attacks.

He also said Afghan migrants in Pakistan were facing difficult conditions.

Mujahid urged the Security Council to pressure Pakistan to stop what he called “such inhumane actions and violations of human rights”.

Mujahid has previously criticised the Security Council, saying it had lost its credibility and become, in his words, “a tool in the hands of Western countries”.

The UN Security Council has repeatedly expressed concern about the activities and presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

According to the Taliban, the strikes targeted the eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Maidan Wardak and Kunar, damaging civilian areas and destroying homes and shops.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, said in a statement Saturday that Pakistani forces targeted residential homes and local markets in the districts of Samkani and Dand-e-Patan in Paktia province.

He said one person was killed and another wounded in the attacks. Fitrat added that 10 homes, 14 shops, two markets and a mosque were destroyed.

Fitrat also said villages and markets in the districts of Barmal and Shkin in Paktika province were damaged in Pakistani airstrikes. He said two civilians were killed and six homes and several shops were destroyed.

The Taliban deputy spokesperson also reported attacks in Khost province, saying one person was killed and two others injured in the districts of Ali Sher and Terezai. He said the strikes destroyed 10 homes and a mosque and displaced more than 100 families.

Fitrat said the Zazi Maidan district in Paktia province was also targeted, but no casualties were reported.

He added that about 60 mortar rounds were fired in Nari district in Kunar province. No one was killed or injured, but the Duyali dam in the centre of Dukalam village was damaged.

The Taliban did not report any casualties among their forces. Pakistan’s military, however, has said more than 500 Taliban fighters have been killed and that its operation, known as “Ghazab-ul-Haq,” against the group is continuing.