Taliban Spokesperson Dismisses Claims of Women’s Harassment as Exaggerated

The Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, refuted the United Nations report detailing Afghan women’s concerns over harassment by Taliban forces, labeling it as overstated.

Mujahid contended that such allegations do not hold up to scrutiny on the ground in Kabul, where, according to him, there is no evidence of detainment or harassment by Taliban operatives.

Mujahid criticized both the reports circulating in the media and the recent findings by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which highlighted women’s apprehensions about leaving their homes due to Taliban policies. He described these reports as propaganda, orchestrated by external entities to magnify the situation unjustifiably.

The spokesperson argued that these narratives contribute to public anxiety, maintaining that the Taliban have consistently reported no incidents of arrest in line with their policies. He emphasized the repeated assurances given by the Taliban that no such arrests have occurred.
Contrastingly, UNAMA’s comprehensive report released last Friday paints a grim picture, indicating that approximately 70% of Afghan women feel unsafe or fearful as a result of the Taliban’s strict regulations on women’s attire and the requirement for them to be accompanied by men. This stark discrepancy underscores the ongoing debate over the Taliban’s treatment of women and the international community’s concern over human rights in Afghanistan.