Taliban use stun guns, fire hoses and gunfire to break up Afghan women protesting beauty salon ban

By RIAZAT BUTT
Associated Press

Afghan women protesting a beauty salon ban say the Taliban used stun guns, fire hoses and gun shots into the air to break up their demonstration. The closure of beauty salons earlier this month is the latest curb on the rights of women and girls, following edicts barring them from education, public spaces and most forms of employment. Wednesday’s protest in the capital, Kabul, was a rare sign of public opposition to the Taliban’s policies. The Taliban say they are outlawing salons because they offer services forbidden by Islam and cause economic hardships for grooms’ families during wedding festivities. Nobody from the Taliban-run government was immediately available for comment about the protest.