Eyewitnesses in Herat say that, in an effort to prevent protests from taking place, the Taliban have deployed not only military forces but also a number of plainclothes intelligence operatives across different parts of the city. According to one witness, suspicious private vehicles can be seen on nearly every street and alley, carrying individuals in civilian clothing who are monitoring the situation throughout the city.
Earlier, local sources reported that following public calls for demonstrations in response to the detention of women in Herat, Taliban forces including special units, heavy equipment, and armored vehicles had been deployed to key and strategic locations across the city beginning on Thursday evening.
According to these sources, roads leading to the provincial governor’s office, Ma’arif Square, the area surrounding the sports stadium, and Mohbas Road were closed to public traffic on Friday.
Meanwhile, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent reported heightened security measures in Herat, stating that armed police officers were patrolling the city on motorcycles, while Taliban intelligence personnel had been stationed at security checkpoints.
A teacher in Herat told AFP that even limited movement by residents had become difficult due to the security measures, adding that the city was under intense pressure.
A 27-year-old resident of Herat also said that the widespread presence of armed forces had created an atmosphere of fear and described the situation as “terrifying.”
In addition, a 33-year-old woman said that security personnel were inspecting people’s mobile phones. She added that the security environment had made it impossible to organize and mobilize for protest gatherings.
Local sources had previously reported that Taliban forces inspected the mobile phones of several school teachers in Herat on Wednesday and took three teachers into custody.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
