Kabul: Taliban morality police detained around 20 aid workers near the Iran-Afghanistan border over allegations that their beards did not comply with the government’s grooming regulations, according to sources within humanitarian organisations.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday at the Islam Qala border crossing in western Afghanistan, where the detained individuals were employed by organisations working in cooperation with the United Nations.
According to internal communications cited by aid workers, officials from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (PVPV) detained several Afghan male staff members because their beards were trimmed or shaved in violation of regulations enforced by the authorities.
Sources said some of the workers were released later the same day, while the remaining detainees were freed the following day.
The Taliban administration enforces a strict interpretation of Islamic law and has instructed men to maintain beards of a specified length, generally described as extending beyond a clenched fist.
While the PVPV ministry did not officially comment on the reported detentions, a senior morality police official in Herat province denied that any employees of non-governmental organisations had been arrested.
However, the official acknowledged that five government employees had been detained over alleged violations related to beard-length requirements.
Another aid worker familiar with the incident said morality police entered a facility at the Islam Qala border reception centre and detained approximately 20 employees working for various service-providing organisations before transferring them to Kohsan district.
The incident has raised concerns among humanitarian organisations operating in Afghanistan, where aid agencies continue to navigate an increasingly restrictive regulatory environment under Taliban rule.
No official statement has been issued by United Nations agencies regarding the reported detentions, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.