Taliban security forces shot and killed a child in the western Afghan city of Herat on 9 June 2026 after opening fire on a crowd demanding the release of women arrested for failing to meet the regime's hijab standards.
The protests, which the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed in an official press release, erupted in the Jibreil district of Herat after Taliban morality police detained at least 30 women and girls between 6 and 7 June, alleging they had violated the regime's dress code requirements. UNAMA confirmed at least one person, a boy, was killed by gunfire; the UN mission said it was also verifying a second fatality. More than 20 people were injured, with witnesses reporting beatings with sticks alongside the live fire.
