KABUL — Taliban morality enforcers have detained several young men in the capital, Kabul, and in Logar Province in recent days, targeting individuals based on their hairstyles and facial grooming, multiple local sources said on Friday.
In the lead-up to Eid al-Adha, Taliban morality enforcers raided barbershops in Logar, detaining young men whose hair was styled in what Taliban deemed “un-Islamic” fashion or whose beards had been shaved. Barbershops offering such services were forcibly closed, and some barbers were also detained, sources added.
“The Taliban morality enforcers are patrolling city streets and sealing any barbershop they believe does not comply with their interpretation of Islamic standards,” one source in Logar said.
Eyewitnesses reported that during the raids, Taliban removed young men from salons and transported them to undisclosed locations. Barbershops that offered modern haircuts or clean-shaven styles were said to be primary targets.
The enforcement has not been limited to Logar. Sources in Kabul and several other provinces confirmed that similar crackdowns have taken place in recent days, with young men being detained and barbershops shuttered under orders from Taliban religious enforcers.
Taliban have not publicly commented on the latest reports, but they have previously imposed restrictions on male grooming practices and styles it views as contrary to its conservative interpretation of Islamic law.
The widening scope of these actions has heightened public concern, with many Afghans expressing fear over the increasing intrusion of Taliban authorities into daily life.
“This kind of policing of personal appearance is not just about religious enforcement,” said one resident in Kabul who asked not to be named. “It’s about control — and it’s getting worse.”
Since returning to power in August 2021, Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls and have increasingly sought to regulate public behavior, including dress codes and social norms for men.
