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ISLAMABAD: Taliban forces opened fire on protesters in the western Afghan city of Herat on Tuesday, wounding multiple people and triggering a broader security crackdown that included reported arrests and visits to hospitals to detain injured protesters, according to Amu TV.&nbsp; The protests began in Herat&#39;s Jibril area after reports emerged of a wave of arrests targeting women by Taliban.&nbsp; Hundreds of people gathered to denounce the detentions before Taliban security forces moved to disperse the crowd. The mounting anger over reports that women and girls in Herat were being detained for purportedly violating the Taliban&rsquo;s interpretation of Islamic dress regulations. The shooting occurred near an intersection known as &ldquo;Bahar-e Zendagi&rdquo; as protesters marched through the area. Taliban forces fired live ammunition at protesters. Afghanistan International qouting an eyewitness stated&nbsp;that he personally saw one dead person and at least 22 wounded individuals after the confrontation.&nbsp; No official casualty figures have been released, and the exact number of people injured or detained remains unclear. Protesters arrested&nbsp; According to Afghanistan International, Taliban authorities subsequently arrested a number of protesters.&nbsp; Qouting sources, Afghanistan International reported that Taliban personnel visited hospitals in Herat in an effort to identify and detain injured protesters receiving medical treatment. Flyers circulated across Herat on Monday called on residents to assemble at 8 am in District 13 of Jibrail township to condemn the arrests.&nbsp; Qouting witnesses it reported that crowds gathered despite the risk of retaliation from Taliban authorities. Taliban forces reportedly deployed additional personnel across the Jibril and nearby Jami&#39; areas of the city.&nbsp; Residents described a heightened security presence, with increased checkpoints and patrols. &#39;Deeply alarmed&#39;This incident has drawn international concern as well.&nbsp; Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said Monday he was &quot;deeply alarmed&quot; by reports that scores of women had been detained in Herat for a third consecutive day over alleged dress code violations. The issue was also raised before the UN Security Council.&nbsp; Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, cited reports that about 30 women had been detained in Herat by Taliban morality police and law enforcement personnel.&nbsp; The Herat protest appeared to be among the largest public demonstrations in recent months opposing the Taliban&rsquo;s enforcement of these restrictions.

Women wearing Burqas in Afghanistan - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Afghanistan

Taliban forces reportedly opened fire on protesters in Herat, wounding multiple people and triggering a wider crackdown amid growing anger over the detention of women for alleged dress-code violations.

Taliban open fire on protesters in Herat: Afghan media 

ISLAMABAD: A deadly attack in western Afghanistan has drawn strong international condemnation, after gunmen opened fire on families gathered near a religious site in Herat province. The attack took place on Friday in Deh Mehri village, located in the Injil district of Herat Province, where families had assembled for a picnic near a Shia shrine, according to local media.&nbsp; At least 11 people were killed and 11 others injured, including women and children. Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as the unidentified attackers began shooting into the crowd. Emergency responders transported the wounded to nearby medical facilities, where several remain in critical condition, local media reported. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed condolences to the victims and their families, describing the incident as a &ldquo;terrible crime.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;We express our condolences to the victims and to the families affected, and wish those injured a speedy recovery,&rdquo; said the UN&rsquo;s Officer-in-charge of Afghanistan Georgette Gagnon, who also called on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure the protection of all communities across Afghanistan.&nbsp; The UN&rsquo;s Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett, meanwhile. strongly condemned the attack, describing it as &ldquo;brutal&rdquo; and urged that those responsible be brought to justice.&nbsp; He noted that the victims were members of the Shia community and stressed that such targeted violence must not go unpunished. The European Union also denounced the killings, stating that violence against civilians is unacceptable under any circumstances. The bloc extended its condolences to the victims&rsquo; families and expressed solidarity with those affected.&nbsp;

Afghan men walk past shops closed in solidarity with victims killed in an attack by unidentified armed men on the outskirts of the Sayed Mohammad Agha Shia shrine, a day after the incident in Herat on April 11, 2026.

Gunmen attacked families at a Shia shrine gathering in Herat, Afghanistan, killing at least 11 people and drawing strong international condemnation.

Articles tagged with "Herat"

Taliban open fire on protesters in Herat: Afghan media

Deadly attack on civilians in Afghanistan draws international condemnation

Taliban open fire on protesters in Herat: Afghan media