Taliban Introduces Multiple Restrictions On Women, School-Going Girls And Afghan Citizens Upon Takeover

Taliban’s initial orders following their capture of a northern Afghanistan district restrict women from visiting bazars without any male companion and even prohibit men from shaving their beards.

“It said women can't go to the bazaar without a male companion, and men should not shave their beards,” Sefatullah, 25, a resident of Kalafgan district was quoted as saying.

The directives have been issued to a local imam, and it also introduces a ban on smoking with a threat that mentions that the violators ‘will be seriously dealt with’.

After capturing the northern customs port Shir Khan Bandar, the Taliban ordered women not to step out of their houses, many of whom were already engaged in productive activities such as shoe-making, embroidery, tailoring etc, AFP reports.

Moreover, Taliban has also come out with statements mandating villagers to marry off their daughters and widows to their terrorists.

“All imams and mullahs in captured areas should provide the Taliban with a list of girls above 15 and widows under 45 to be married to Taliban fighters,” the letter reportedly reads.

The terrorist organization called the residents of Yawan district, on the Tajikistan border, at a local mosque after gaining control over the area.

It then clearly told people to not leave their homes at night and prevented them from wearing clothes of red and green colour that depict the Afghan national flag.

Furthermore, school-going girls have been forbidden from attending classes beyond the sixth grade as Taliban insists on protecting women rights only according to the ‘Islamic values’.

The Jihadist group has begun enforcing harsh religious code of conduct that characterised its rule from 1996 to 2001.

The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 according to the interpreted laws of Koran. Its rule was characterized by systematic violations against women and girls; cruel corporal punishments, including executions; and extreme suppression of freedom of religion, expression, and education.

The group is daily capturing new districts, seizing key border crossings, and encircling provincial capitals even as the final withdrawal of foreign troops takes place. In the occupied areas, the group is reportedly distributing leaflets asking the people to strictly adhere to Sharia law-mandated conduct.

In the past, it has been observed that as the Taliban consolidate control over new areas, their restrictions tightened, not eased. This raises serious concerns that as the foreign troops retreat and government influence wanes, the Taliban's abusive tactics will only worsen, more so because they have now brought a superpower down to its knees.