Taliban regime detained Afghan aid workers over beards, say sources

The Taliban regime's morality police detained about 20 aid workers near the Iran-Afghanistan border because their beards were not long enough, three sources from aid organisations told AFP on Monday.

The staff detained were working on Saturday near the Islam Qala border crossing for organisations that cooperate with the United Nations, according to internal statements shared by two aid workers on condition of anonymity because of security reasons.

The morality police arrested "national male staff members from UN implementing partner organisations at the Islam Qala Reception Center due to trimmed or shaved beards", said one of the internal statements from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Some of the aid workers were released the same day, while the rest were freed the following day, the statement said.

The Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice Ministry (PVPV) did not comment on the incident when contacted by AFP.

However, the manager of morality police officers in Herat province denied the detentions.

"No one from NGOs has been arrested or imprisoned," Ziauddin Taib told AFP.

He said PVPV officials had, however, arrested five government employees from various departments over their short beards.

A third aid worker told AFP the morality police entered a facility "at the Islam Qala border, arrested 20 people who were employees of various service-providing agencies at the border".

Those detained on Saturday were transferred to Kohsan district, the aid worker said on condition of anonymity because of safety concerns.

The majority of people in Afghanistan are practising Muslims, but residents of major cities could choose their own appearance before Taliban authorities returned to power in 2021.

In areas where Taliban fighters were battling US-backed forces, men would grow beards either out of fear or by choice.