Afghanistan

Women rally in Balkh: Stop ‘genocide’

Dozens of female students from Balkh University took to the streets in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Monday morning to protest the attack on Kaaj institute in Kabul that left scores dead and wounded.

They started their march from Balkh University and walked towards the central parts of the center of the city but their rally was stopped by the Taliban, according to a video received by Amu from organizers of the protest.

The women protesters chanted “Education is our right”, “security is our right”, “justice is our right”, “stop genocide” and “down to discrimination.”

Some men were also seen among the protesters in Mazar-e-Sharif city.

Taranum Sayedi, an organizer of the event who lives abroad, said their goal was to advocate for justice for the people of Afghanistan, especially women, and raise their voices against the killing of Hazaras in the country.

The rally comes after protests by women in Kabul, Herat and Bamiyan that faced harsh treatment from the Taliban.

UN office in Afghanistan on Monday said the death toll from Kaaj institute attack rose to 43 and that 83 others were wounded.