Women protesters seeking rights to work, education attacked with pepper spray by Taliban

A group of women protesters demanding rights to work and education in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul were attacked with pepper spray gas by the Taliban forces on Sunday.

As many as 20 women gathered in front of Kabul University, chanting “equality and justice” and carried banners that read “Women's rights, human rights”, news agency AFP reported.

After being informed of the agitation, the Taliban forces arrived at the scene and dispersed the crowd using pepper spray.

A few women protesters had to be carried to the hospital after the spray caused an allergic reaction on faces and eyes.

“When we were near Kabul University three Taliban vehicles came, and fighters from one of the vehicles used pepper spray on us," a protester told AGP, seeking anonymity for security reasons.

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“My right eye started to burn. I told one of them ‘shame on you’, and then he pointed his gun at me.”

A Taliban official had confiscated the mobile phone of a man who was filming the demonstration, AFP reported.

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Despite giving assurances, the hardline Islamist forces have curbed liberty and equality in access to education and work to women.

Since taking over Afghanistan in mid-August last year, the Taliban have blocked women public sector employees from returning to work, prevented girls to attend secondary schools, and have shut public universities.

Apart from that, diktat has been issued with regards to their dress code, and long distance trips for women who are not accompanied by a close male relative have been banned.

The authorities have also issued guidelines that prevent television channels from broadcasting serials featuring women actors.

(With inputs from agencies)