As the Islamic militant group Taliban goes on an offensive in Afghanistan, capturing over 80 districts of the country from government forces in the past few months, they have started imposing laws and restrictions on people living in places now controlled by them. According to Ariana News, in the Afghan province of Takhar, the Taliban have mandated women to not leave their homes alone and men have been ordered to grow their beards.
Women in the province have been asked to not leave their homes without being accompanied by a relative, a civil society activist told Ariana News. Some reports also point to a significant increase in food prices after the Taliban’s arrival.
The Taliban have a known history of imposing harsh restrictions on common people in the name of Sharia Islamic law. When they ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, they imposed strict restrictions on the movement of women, preventing them from getting educated or going for work.
Meanwhile, the governor of Takhar, Abdullah Qarluq, said that the Islamist group had destroyed government buildings of the district and looted everything. However, the accusations of the governor and the activists have been completely rejected by the Taliban.
Ever since the US announced the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban have stepped up their attacks against the defense forces of the Ashraf Ghani-led government. The Islamic group has refused to proceed with negotiations under the ‘Afghan peace process ‘ and is looking at capturing the country militarily.
