Taliban forces disperse Afghan women's protest as group nears 1 year back in power

'Girls' schools are still closed, women are being fired from their jobs for no reason,' Kabul protester says

Image | 1414587207

Caption: Taliban fighters fired shots into the air on Saturday in Kabul to disperse a rare rally by women ahead of the first anniversary of the hard-line Islamists' return to power. (Nava Jamshidi/Getty Images)

Taliban security forces fired shots in the air to disperse a protest by Afghan women's rights activists in Kabul on Saturday.
The women were marching on the streets and chanting, "Bread, work and freedom."
Activist Zholia Parsi said some of the women were detained by the Taliban.
"This protest was against the Taliban's one year in power because they don't have any agenda for governing, girls' schools are still closed, women are being fired from their jobs for no reason, poverty is increasing, so for all good reasons we were protesting."

Image | 1414587534

Caption: Women demonstrate Saturday in Kabul ahead of the first anniversary of the Taliban's return to power, on Aug. 15, 2021. (Nava Jamshidi/Getty Images)

The protest came just two days ahead of the Taliban's first anniversary in power after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan last year.
The Taliban's capture of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, brought the hard-line movement back into power in Afghanistan nearly 20 years after the group was toppled by the U.S. invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
With the group's return to power, girls have not been allowed to study above sixth grade and many women in governmental posts haven't been allowed to work.