Taliban forces disperse Afghan women's protest as group nears 1 year back in power

Taliban security forcesfired shots in the air to disperse a protest by Afghan women's rights activists in Kabul on Saturday.

The women were marching on the streets and chanting, "Bread, workand freedom."

Activist Zholia Parsi said some of the women were detained by the Taliban.

"This protest was against the Taliban's one year in power because they don't have any agenda for governing, girls' schools are still closed, women are being fired from their jobs for no reason, poverty is increasing, so for all good reasons we were protesting."

The protest came just two days ahead of the Taliban's first anniversary in power after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan last year.

The Taliban's capture of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, brought the hard-line movement back into power in Afghanistan nearly 20 years after the group was toppled by the U.S. invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

With the group's return to power, girls have not been allowed to study above sixth grade and many women in governmental posts haven't been allowed to work.