Taliban Crackdown in Herat Tightens Grip, Stifles Women-Centred Economy

In early June 2026, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV) intensified dress-code policing in Herat, arresting dozens of women for not wearing a chador or burqa and men for short beards. A rare public protest against the restrictions was violently dispersed, with the United Nations reporting at least two fatalities. The crackdown follows a broader pattern of stricter enforcement in cities such as Mazar-i-Sharif, where Taliban support is weaker than in the conservative south.

New York Times

Herat’s bustling bazaars have long relied on female shoppers; Nazeer Ahmad Azimi, who runs a shoe store, estimates that women account for “ninety percent of our sales.” He says the recent enforcement “has halved the turnover in the city’s markets.” Tailor shop owner Ramin Ghafoori confirms that “there were no women in the markets” after the incidents, cutting his income dramatically. Autorickshaw driver Farshid Karimi, 21, reports daily earnings falling from about $9 to roughly $4, citing the disappearance of female passengers. The United Nations previously warned that policies excluding women could cost Afghanistan’s economy up to $1 billion annually.

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

A spokesman for Herat’s city administration did not respond to requests for comment on the market fallout. The United Nations has documented the protest deaths but has offered no further official statements from Taliban authorities regarding the crackdown.

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

Local residents describe an atmosphere of fear. Hengameh, a woman in her 30s, says “They are spreading fear like a virus.” A 27-year-old woman told AFP, “I’ve been gripped by fear and terror. I truly gave up everything out of fear.” These testimonies echo broader concerns that the Taliban’s moral policing is eroding the city’s cultural vibrancy and economic stability.

New York Times

• “They are spreading fear like a virus,” — Hengameh, Herat resident

New York Times

• “Since those incidents occurred... there were no women in the markets,” — Ramin Ghafoori, tailoring shop owner

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

• “Ninety percent of our sales are to women, women come to buy even for men,” — Nazeer Ahmad Azimi, shoe store owner

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

• “I've been gripped by fear and terror. I truly gave up everything out of fear,” — 27-year-old woman, AFP interview

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

• “Before, the women could freely take the rickshaw to go around. Now, as the restrictions have been imposed, they do not go out so there is no work for us,” — Farshid Karimi, autorickshaw driver

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)