Taliban Requires Aid Workers at Islam Qala Border Center to Comply With Beard Rules

Taliban Requires Aid Workers at Islam Qala Border Center to Comply With Beard Rules
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Taliban authorities at the Islam Qala reception center in Herat have given humanitarian aid workers one month to bring their beards into compliance with the administration’s requirements, Khaama Press reported.

The order applies to male staff members as well as male guardians accompanying female employees.

Sources said workers who fail to meet the requirements after the one-month deadline could be barred from entering the reception center.

The measure follows a rise in the detention of aid workers by Taliban morality police for shaving or trimming their beards. Taliban officials reportedly told aid agencies that the new rule is intended to prevent further confrontations and arrests.

The move comes amid a broader tightening of social restrictions in Herat. In recent months, authorities have increased enforcement of dress and behavior rules, with reports of women and girls being detained over alleged violations of prescribed clothing requirements.