AhlulBayt News Agency: Local sources in the Shia-majority province of Daikundi, Afghanistan, report that the Taliban have sealed and shut down the shops of approximately 150 working women in the central market of Nili, the provincial capital.
According to the sources, about a month ago the women owners were ordered to relocate their businesses from Nili’s main bazaar to a location called “Family Park.”
One source quoted local Taliban officials as saying the directive came directly from the group’s supreme leader, who has banned the presence of women in the market.
The affected women, who depend on these shops to support their families, say they cannot afford to buy or rent new premises in Family Park. They have stated they will only move if the Taliban provide them with free or government-subsidized stalls.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed some of the world’s harshest restrictions on Afghan women and girls, including barring girls from education beyond sixth grade, banning most women from working in government and NGO offices, and mandating the wearing of full chadari (burqa) and the presence of a male guardian in public.
The sealing of these shops in Daikundi represents the latest measure targeting women’s economic activity. As of now, local Taliban authorities have issued no official response or comment.
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