RASC News Agency: Barbers in Kandahar province have reported undue interference and pressure from the Taliban’s morality enforcers during the Eid holidays. According to these barbers, the Taliban have obstructed their work, humiliating, beating, and arresting dozens of male barbers for trimming beards and hair. One barber in central Kandahar told RASC: “This year, on the night of Eid al-Adha, our shop was locked because the Taliban’s morality enforcers were on the lookout and did not allow us to trim customers’ beards.”
Another barber reported, “The Taliban imprisoned my brother on Eid night because he trimmed a customer’s hair.” A resident of Kandahar remarked, “Eid has no joy for me because I couldn’t groom myself or trim my beard and hair.” Many citizens view these actions as contrary to human and social principles and call on the international community to consider their current plight.
Many Afghanistanis have complained about the Taliban’s treatment of people, challenging their strict interpretation of religion. Residents in other provinces also complain about Taliban behavior. Some state that the Taliban prevented barbers in many provinces from attending to young men’s hair and beards during Eid. The Taliban consider shaving beards forbidden and certain haircuts inappropriate.
With their interpretation of religion, the Taliban have stifled businesses and prevented people from working freely.
