Baharan Lahib

Nangarhar – During nearly five years of Taliban rule, the killing of women in Afghanistan has become part of the bitter and recurring reality of society; a reality often hidden under labels such as "mysterious killing," "domestic violence," or "personal incident."

While women live in an atmosphere of repression, deprivation, and lack of justice, many women's rights defenders believe that the Taliban, directly or indirectly, play a role in entrenching a culture of misogyny and protecting perpetrators of violence from punishment. In just the last two weeks, three women were brutally killed in Kabul and several provinces – incidents that received only limited coverage in media and social networks.

Following media and social platforms, news of the killing of young girls and adult women continues, reflecting that violence against women in Afghanistan has reached a significant and alarming level. It can be said with confidence that published figures are far lower than the actual reality, as many cases are not recorded or reported due to an atmosphere of fear, silence, and the protection enjoyed by perpetrators. Women's rights activists believe that the Taliban's anti‑women rule and the absence of an independent judiciary have contributed to the persistence of killings and the suppression of women without follow‑up or accountability.

Several months ago, the Taliban issued a regulatory list for their courts, which human rights organizations see as paving the way for legitimizing violence against women. Critics say this list allows men to practice violence against women without facing serious legal prosecution.

According to a report by the "Afghan Women's Rights Monitor," many cases of systematic violations of women's rights in Afghanistan have been documented since the beginning of 2025. The report indicated the documentation of 511 cases of violence against women, including 76 intentional killings, 130 public floggings, 72 arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, in addition to 32 suicides resulting in death, while 258 cases remained without any official action or legal prosecution.

The report affirmed that most victims were women between the ages of 18 and 36 – the group facing severe social, economic, and political restrictions in today's Afghanistan.

In another report, the UN Human Rights Office in Afghanistan also revealed an increase in violence and human rights violations. The report, covering the last three months of 2025, stated that 547 people were killed or injured during conflicts – including 70 dead and 447 wounded.

The report also noted 250 arbitrary arrests, with at least 50 of them subjected to ill‑treatment, including women and men. In addition, 287 people were publicly flogged, including women and children, and two executions were carried out.

Another part of the report referred to border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan, which resulted in harm to about 500 civilians. According to the provided statistics, 47 people were killed and 456 injured, including women and children.

Critics say that the list issued by the Taliban gives men the right to beat their wives, provided that no visible marks are left on their bodies – which has doubled the fears of women's rights activists.

In another incident, Badria, a woman who had returned to Afghanistan to demand her rights, was assassinated in Kabul. A woman who had previously served in the Afghan police forces was also killed, an incident that reignited fears about the security of women, especially those who previously worked in institutions of the former regime.

In this context, Fawzia Raza, a women's rights activist and one of the protesters in Nangarhar, said: "The extremists have gradually turned the killing of women into a culture within society. Our people still remember Farkhunda, the woman who was burned alive in Kabul, just a few kilometers from the presidential palace, based on an unproven accusation, and also Rakhshana."

She added: "When jihadist groups took control of Kabul, they did not hesitate to commit rape, murder, and even cut off women's breasts. The Taliban are an extension of that same ideology. Today, Afghan women start every morning with news of a woman being publicly flogged or a woman being killed in one of the country's provinces."

Fawzia Raza also affirmed that "from the 1978 coup until today, women have been the first victims of authoritarian systems in Afghanistan. Even during the past twenty years, when democracy was being spoken of, violence against women did not stop. Dozens of women had their ears and noses cut off, while others committed suicide or set themselves on fire as a result of domestic violence."

Despite all these crimes, our speaker believes that "the end of this repression and misogyny will be achieved through the resilience and struggle of Afghan women, and they will one day be able to end these anti‑woman and authoritarian systems."

As this report was being concluded, another shocking news was published: a 13‑year‑old girl was killed in Badakhshan province after being raped – a crime that reaffirms once again that violence against women and girls in Afghanistan continues, and the number of victims increases day by day.

In conclusion, the increase in killings of women, public floggings, arbitrary arrests, and the concealment of violence cases reveal that women in Afghanistan are living through one of the darkest periods in their contemporary history.

Women's rights activists believe that the absence of justice, the dominance of misogynistic ideology, and the impunity of perpetrators have all contributed to the continuation of these crimes. Nevertheless, Afghan women continue to stand against oppression, trying to keep the voice of the victims alive – a voice that, despite pressures and threats, has not yet faded.