Afghanistan under Taliban Rule: Market Blaze, Wedding Raids, Beating of Woman, and Arrest of Activist Deepen Humanitarian Crisis
Afghanistan faced a week of compounding crises under Taliban rule, as a destructive market fire in Takhar wiped out livelihoods, while Taliban authorities intensified repression through raids on weddings, violence against women, and the arrest of a civil society activist.
In Takhar’s Khwaja Bahauddin district, a massive blaze erupted in the main market around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, destroying more than 40 shops within hours, Khaama press reported. Eyewitnesses said goods worth several lakh Afghanis were reduced to ashes, including timber machinery and wheat mills, which formed the backbone of local trade. The fire, eventually controlled by residents, underscored the absence of professional firefighting services. Officials have not confirmed whether the blaze was caused by electrical faults, negligence, or arson.
Meanwhile, in northern Faryab province, Taliban morality police disrupted multiple wedding ceremonies, detaining relatives of brides and grooms over music and filming. Witnesses told local media that officers locked guests inside halls, insulted families, and seized cameras and instruments. Videos circulating from Maimana showed the groom’s father and bride’s relatives being detained. Music has been officially banned at weddings under Taliban rule.
In Badakhshan, Taliban forces at a roadside checkpoint reportedly ordered women to remove their veils. When one protested, she was “severely beaten,” leaving visible injuries that required hospital treatment, according to Amu TV. Rights groups condemned the assault as part of what UN experts have described as the Taliban’s “gender apartheid.”
Separately, civil society members denounced the arrest of activist Mojtaba Mohammadi, who was detained by Taliban intelligence days after being deported from Iran. His family says he has been missing for over a week, amid reports he is being held under torture. Human rights defenders called the arrest part of the Taliban’s broader campaign to silence dissent.
