Afghan Women Protest Against All-Male Taliban Government

Women from the capital city of Kabul and the north-eastern Afghan province of Badakhshan took to the streets and protested against the all-male Taliban government.

The women who are protesting are against the lack of female representation in the cabinet. The protest was dispersed after some of the women were beaten. Local news organisation Etilaatroz said that a few journalists were also beaten and detained for covering the protest.

The Taliban haven't yet responded to the allegations made by the women but said in a statement that such protests are illegal. They added that protestors need permission to march and cannot use foul language or abusive words.

The NRF or the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan which is anti-Taliban in nature urged the international community not to recognise the new government. They called the cabinet "illegal". They also said that it is "a clear sign of the group's enmity with the Afghan people".

The group is led by Ahmad Massoud who is the son of late resistance icon Ahmad Shah Massoud who fought against the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Taliban has claimed that they have won against the NRF but according to the NRF, they are still fighting.

The Taliban considers divorce to be taboo and also mistreats the divorcee women of the country, according to reports. The Islamic extremist group had said that they would be providing rights to the women of Afghanistan under Sharia Law. They also said that they want to maintain strong relationships with other nations while abiding by the "Islamic law and the country's national values".

They said in a statement as reported by a local news reporting agency, "Taliban are committed to providing women their rights based on Islam. Women can work in the health sector and other sectors where they are needed. There will be no discrimination against women."