Taliban Foreign Minister, UN Deputy Chief Discuss Humanitarian Aid

According to the sources, the girls were arrested for not wearing clothing that complied with the Taliban’s dress code.

Eyewitnesses and local sources said on Wednesday that Taliban forces took the young women away after detaining them.

At the same time, Najibullah Ali, the Taliban’s security chief for the Herat police command, announced that the group would continue detaining women in the province.

He stressed that the monitoring of women’s dress would continue in Herat “to promote compliance with hijab and raise public awareness”, adding that those who ignore the rules would be arrested.

In recent days, the Taliban have detained several women and girls in Herat for allegedly failing to comply with the group’s dress requirements, a move that has sparked public protests and criticism from activists.

Over the past two weeks, the Taliban have arrested dozens of women in the province for allegedly not wearing a face veil or for failing to follow the group’s clothing regulations. The United Nations has confirmed the detentions.

The arrests of women in Herat and the Taliban’s response to protesters in the Jebrail area have triggered demonstrations in more than 10 countries. Protesters have called for the release of those detained and an end to the enforcement of compulsory dress codes on women and girls.

Marking the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, UNAMA stressed the importance of restoring rangelands, improving land management and supporting local communities.

In a statement, UNAMA warned that Afghanistan is on the frontline of climate change impacts. Highlighting the country’s heavy dependence on agriculture, the mission underscored the urgent need to restore degraded land and protect water resources.

According to the United Nations, the degradation of large areas of pastureland has significantly increased pressure on the livelihoods of rural communities and livestock herders, while accelerating environmental decline.

Repeated droughts, severe water shortages and the loss of agricultural land have affected the lives of millions of people, contributing to rising poverty, food insecurity and forced displacement among rural families.

Recent data from international organisations underscore the scale of the crisis. A recent UNICEF report found that more than 8.8 million children in Afghanistan face serious climate-related risks. UNAMA has also previously reported that 40 per cent of the country’s land has been degraded.

The Chashma-Sar platform reported in May that 30 Afghan provinces are experiencing moderate to severe drought due to a sharp decline in rainfall and the early depletion of snow reserves.

The situation has been highlighted on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, which is observed annually by the United Nations to raise awareness of the dangers posed by desertification.

The UNCCD has chosen the theme “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities” through its focus on rangelands this year, encouraging countries to recognise, value and restore these vital ecosystems. It has also designated the current year as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.

Uzbekistan’s presidential office announced on Wednesday, June 17, that the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum had been held and published the text of President Mirziyoyev’s address.

Speaking at the forum, Mirziyoyev discussed economic and investment cooperation, green energy, artificial intelligence, financial markets, infrastructure projects and expanding regional transport connectivity.

Referring to the Trans-Afghan corridor, he said: “We are also actively working on the Trans-Afghan Corridor project, which will provide direct access to southern seaports.”

He added that the full implementation of the project, alongside other initiatives, would connect Uzbekistan to a network of transit routes linking Asia and Europe. Mirziyoyev also stressed that Uzbekistan is working with China and Kyrgyzstan on the implementation of a major railway programme.

The fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum opened on Tuesday with the participation of officials from various countries, investors and representatives of international companies, and continued on Wednesday.

A Taliban delegation is also attending the event. Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan signed an agreement in February 2021 to build a 573-kilometre railway through Afghanistan.

The project is estimated to cost $4.8 billion and is intended to strengthen regional economic connectivity. Russia has previously stated that it is prepared to participate in the project.

Ali also confirmed that the Taliban have so far detained more than 19 women for failing to comply with the group’s interpretation of hijab, although unofficial figures from local sources suggest the number of detainees is significantly higher.

He stressed that the monitoring of women’s dress would continue in Herat “to promote compliance with hijab and raise public awareness”, adding that those who ignore the rules would face arrest.

The Taliban official also confirmed that the group’s forces fired warning shots into the air to disperse protesters who had demonstrated against the detention of women in Herat’s Jebrail district. He further acknowledged that several protesters had been detained.

In a post on X, Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s commitment to continuing humanitarian assistance and supporting the welfare of the Afghan people.

India’s Foreign Ministry also announced in May that it had delivered 20 tons of essential BCG, tetanus and diphtheria vaccine supplies to Kabul to strengthen child immunisation programmes.

In April, India said it had provided 13 tons of vaccines and related medical supplies to support efforts to protect children against tuberculosis in Afghanistan.

Over the past year, India has sought to expand its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan while relations with the Taliban administration have warmed.

The development comes as the Taliban administration has reportedly halted medicine imports from Pakistan following military tensions with Islamabad and is seeking alternative sources to meet the country’s pharmaceutical needs.