Two Afghan women were beaten up by the Taliban rebels in northern Sar-e-Pul province for being out of homes without male partners. The incident occurred in an area under control of the Taliban in Sang-Chark district, Naqibullah Daqiq, provincial district governor said on Monday.

It also earned the ruthless anger of the residents, saying such vulgar and unacceptable behavious will do the Taliban no good. According to the residents, such moves tarnish belief in the Taliban for having a harsh approach to the women and promote anti-Taliban sentiment in the wake of the ongoing peace process.

“A Taliban commander beat up a woman who was heading to a doctor,” Mr. Daqiq said, adding another woman, who went to a cashier to receive the money her husband sent from Iran, was also beaten by the militants.

However, to calm the anger of the residents, the Taliban have appointed a delegation to investigate the incident, according to him.

Head of Sar-e-Pul women rights commission, Nabila Habibi had expressed concerns over the women’s situation in the areas under control of the Taliban.

“Based on our information, three women had been beaten and one of them had reported being in critical health condition.”

She said that the women's rights commission has launched a public awareness campaign to improve people’s mindset regarding women’s rights. “About 30 women were included in the campaign. In each village, they will provide information to at least 60 other women.”

The human rights activist said that the Taliban has imposed drastic restrictions in the areas under their control.

The militants in their back regime in the 1990s had sanctioned intensive restrictions on the people of Afghanistan. The women were not allowed to go to workplaces and the girls were barred from schools.

http://www.afghanistantimes.af/women-beaten-up-by-taliban-in-sar-e-pul/