Istanbul Talks Underway On Taliban-Pakistan Tensions

The organisation called on the Taliban to immediately stop using force against demonstrators and to release those detained during the protests.

In a statement posted on X, Amnesty International expressed concern over the situation in Herat and the Taliban’s response to the demonstrations, stressing that people exercising their right to peaceful protest should never be met with bullets or violence.

The rights group said the Taliban must immediately release all those arrested during the protests and respect the rights and freedoms of women and girls, including freedom of movement, freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly.

He said women in the province are observing what he described as the Taliban’s required hijab and that no woman has been arrested over her clothing.

On Tuesday, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency published an audio recording of the official rejecting reports of women being detained.

In the recording, he says: “No woman has been arrested in Herat so far, and women’s hijab is complete. Claims of women being detained over improper hijab are propaganda.”

In recent days, however, Taliban morality police have reportedly detained several women across Herat, accusing them of failing to comply with the group’s dress code requirements.

Following the reported arrests, several Herat residents staged protests against the Taliban on Tuesday.

Protesters said they were demonstrating against the reported enforcement of the all-encompassing burqa, increasing restrictions on women and reports of women being detained.

Eyewitnesses told Afghanistan International that Taliban forces arrested around 30 people during the protests in Herat.

According to witnesses, the Taliban also used force to disperse demonstrators. They reported that at least one person was killed and several others injured after Taliban forces opened fire.

The latest report by the secretary-general, finalised on 22 May and recently released, reviews political, security, humanitarian and human rights developments in Afghanistan during the three-month reporting period.

Armed Opposition Claims 18 Attacks

The report states that armed groups opposed to the Taliban claimed responsibility for at least 18 attacks between February and April.

According to the United Nations, the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Freedom Front, the National Mobilisation Front and Afghanistan Green Trend all claimed involvement.

The report says 16 of the attacks were verified and occurred in Badakhshan, Baghlan, Herat, Kabul, Kandahar, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Panjshir and Zabul provinces.

The incidents included rocket attacks, grenade attacks and shootings targeting Taliban checkpoints and security convoys.

However, the UN said the armed opposition had not posed a significant challenge to the Taliban’s territorial control of Afghanistan.

ISKP Retains Operational Capability

Guterres said that although Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) did not claim any major attacks against the Taliban during the reporting period, assessments by the UN sanctions monitoring team indicate that the group has retained its operational and combat capabilities in Afghanistan.

The finding contrasts with recent remarks by Taliban Defence Minister who told an international security conference in Moscow that ISKP had been completely defeated and contained.

More Than 370 Civilian Casualties In Taliban-Pakistan Clashes

According to the report, at least 379 civilians were killed and 473 injured in clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan between 26 January and the end of April.

The UN said most casualties resulted from Pakistani air strikes and cross-border shelling inside Afghanistan.

The deadliest incident during the reporting period was the 16 March attack on the Omid drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, which, according to updated UN figures, left 269 people dead and 122 injured.

The report also states that Pakistani attacks in Kunar province on 27 April caused 88 civilian casualties, including seven deaths and 81 injuries.

The UN said students and lecturers from Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University in Asadabad were among those affected.

Killings, Arbitrary Arrests And Torture Continue

Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, the secretary-general reported continued killings, arbitrary arrests and torture of former Afghan government officials and security personnel.

According to the report, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented five killings, 20 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, and eight cases of torture or ill-treatment involving former government employees and members of the former security forces between 26 January and 31 March.

Stricter Enforcement Of Hijab Rules

The report says the Taliban appears to be enforcing women’s dress regulations more aggressively in provinces such as Kandahar and Herat.

According to the UN, Taliban officials have in some cases publicly reprimanded and humiliated women while enforcing the group’s dress code.

The report was released as dozens of women were reportedly detained in Herat for allegedly failing to comply with Taliban-imposed hijab requirements.

228 Floggings Documented

UNAMA documented 228 cases of corporal punishment during the reporting period.

According to the figures, 29 women, 196 men and three boys were flogged by Taliban courts.

The individuals had been accused of offences including extramarital relations, running away from home, same-sex relations, gambling and alcohol consumption.

Nearly 300 Grave Violations Against Children

The United Nations verified nearly 300 grave violations against children during the first three months of the year.

According to the report, at least 200 children, including 67 girls, were affected.

The most common violations included the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and obstruction of humanitarian assistance.

Taliban Penal Code ‘Legitimises Violence Against Women’

The United Nations said the Taliban’s penal code institutionalises gender discrimination within Afghanistan’s legal framework and contributes to legitimising violence against women.

According to an assessment by UN Women, the code, published in January 2026, primarily defines women as wives rather than as independent legal persons.

The agency said the code places women in a subordinate social position and exposes them to harsher punishments.

Guterres also warned that the code contributes to legitimising violence against women by delegating certain enforcement powers to individuals, including through the use of corporal punishment.

Continued Restrictions On Media

The secretary-general expressed concern over continuing restrictions on media freedom in Afghanistan.

According to the report, on 26 January the Taliban Ministry of Information and Culture announced that the licences of all media-support organisations, except three, would be revoked. Taliban authorities said the organisations were either inactive or operating unprofessionally.

On 28 February, the Taliban suspended the operations of Rah-e-Farda television and radio. Authorities said the suspension was linked to comments made by the outlet’s owner that were viewed as justifying Pakistani military attacks on Afghan civilians.

The report notes that the broadcaster remained suspended throughout the reporting period.

It also refers to the temporary closure of private Khushhal Radio in Ghazni province from 3 to 10 March after a female caller spoke with a male presenter during a programme.

According to the UN, these measures reflect the continuing contraction of media freedoms in Afghanistan.

Humanitarian Situation Worsens

The secretary-general warned that Afghanistan’s humanitarian and economic situation has deteriorated further due to declining international assistance, rising inflation, trade disruptions, large-scale returns of Afghan migrants and climate-related crises.

According to the report, by 30 April the 2026 Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan had received only 14% of its required funding.

Of the $1.7 billion required, only $240.9 million had been secured.

21.9 Million People Need Assistance

The report states that around 21.9 million people, equivalent to 45% of Afghanistan’s population, will require humanitarian assistance in 2026.

Priority needs include food assistance, treatment for acute malnutrition, primary healthcare, access to safe drinking water and protection services.

According to the report, 80% of humanitarian organisations are experiencing financial difficulties.

Some 39% have reduced staff salaries, 35% have scaled back field operations and 28% are planning workforce or programme reductions during 2026.

Concern Over Deportations From Tajikistan

The United Nations also expressed concern over reports of a possible increase in the forced return of Afghan refugees from Tajikistan, warning that such measures could have serious protection consequences.

Guterres said that by 1 April, approximately 94,000 people had been displaced by tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The UN also reported an increased risk of gender-based violence in affected areas.

Between 26 March and 16 April, heavy rainfall and flash floods affected 73,300 people across Afghanistan and left more than 31,600 in need of urgent assistance.

The United Nations said around 17.4 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity, with the number expected to rise.

The organisation noted that funding shortages have reduced the reach of food assistance programmes.

According to the report, around 4.9 million children under the age of five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, require treatment for acute malnutrition.

In a statement, Ismail Khan said the increasing harassment of women in Herat and their widespread arrests by the Taliban were beyond tolerance and could not be overlooked.

The former jihadi leader warned the Taliban that history has shown no government can succeed through force, repression and the humiliation of its people.

He called on the women of Herat to remain resilient in the face of pressure and said the current situation would not last indefinitely.

In a message published online, Ismail Khan described the Taliban’s actions as primitive, reckless and ignorant, saying such behaviour undermines the dignity, honour and Islamic and human values of citizens.

He said what he described as arbitrary restrictions imposed on women and girls in Herat amounted to an insult to the dignity and honour of the city’s residents.

Ismail Khan argued that promoting religious teachings through what he called improper and arbitrary methods would only lead to alienation from religion and a weakening of public belief.

Referring to what he described as despotism, lawlessness, the absence of an accountable and legitimate government, and widespread poverty, he said targeting women amounted to humiliating the people of Herat.

“The dignity of our people is our red line, and remaining silent in the face of injustice against women is a betrayal of Afghanistan’s identity,” he said.

Addressing the girls of Herat, he added: “Your voice is the voice of the awakened conscience of society.”

Other local sources also reported civilian casualties and said there may have been at least one fatality. However, the exact number of dead and injured has not yet been independently verified.

The protests erupted in Herat’s Jebrail area in response to a recent wave of arrests targeting women by the Taliban. According to witnesses and local sources, Taliban forces opened fire in an attempt to disperse demonstrators and suppress the protests.

Sources also said Taliban authorities detained a number of protesters and later visited hospitals in search of injured demonstrators and individuals believed to have participated in the protests.

Local sources reported that the Taliban simultaneously deployed additional forces to the Jebrail area as tensions escalated.

The Taliban has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.