Taliban morality enforcers on Thursday detained a barber and his customer in the northern province of Faryab for shaving a beard, according to local sources.
The arrest took place in the city of Maymana, where Taliban morality enforcers sealed the barbershop following the detention, sources said. A video shared with Amu showed the shop padlocked by Taliban enforcers.
Local residents say patrols by Taliban morality agents in public spaces, schools, government offices, private businesses and barbershops have increased in recent months. These patrols, they claim, are often accompanied by threats of arrest or imprisonment for those who fail to comply with the group’s interpretation of Islamic law.
“The Taliban are using intimidation to enforce orders issued by their leader,” said one resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.
In a separate incident last week, Taliban officials reportedly raided a university graduation celebration at a hotel in Maymana, disrupting the event and detaining several students for wearing neckties and taking photos and videos.
Residents say Taliban patrols frequently inspect barbershops, not only banning the shaving of beards, but also prohibiting trimming or shaping them, which they deem un-Islamic.
The crackdown is part of a broader campaign by the Taliban to enforce their strict religious code, which has drawn criticism from human rights groups for targeting personal freedoms, particularly in urban centers where modern grooming and dress styles remain common.
