Taliban Tightens Grip: Ministry of Virtue Prepares for Harsher Crackdowns

Kokcha News Agency: The Taliban’s Ministry of Virtue and Vice, under the leadership of Minister Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, has issued new directives to its enforcers to prepare for even harsher crackdowns on Afghan citizens. This move comes as the Taliban continues to impose severe restrictions on women, effectively erasing their presence from all aspects of public life.

Hanafi, addressing the ministry’s enforcers, stated, “If you are doing the work of promoting virtue and preventing vice, tighten your belts. Assume that from morning till night, the entire world, the entire Afghan nation, both commoners and elites, are cursing us.”

This statement comes at a time when women in Afghanistan are already banned from education, employment, sports, travel, and even visiting parks. Many citizens are questioning who the Taliban’s enforcers are preparing to target next, given the already extensive restrictions.

The Ministry of Virtue and Vice, ostensibly created to “morally guide” society, has become a tool for psychological, social, and ideological pressure on citizens. While women have been the primary targets, these pressures are now extending to men, youth, business owners, drivers, and even independent clerics.

Sohaila (pseudonym), a citizen of Afghanistan, said, “The Taliban’s orders on virtue and vice have always been about women. Tightening their belts means further erasing women from the few spaces they still occupy and silencing their voices. The Ministry of Virtue and Vice is the open enemy of Afghan women. Any sign of normal life for women in Afghanistan is seen as a threat that must be suppressed.”

She added, “According to the Taliban, foreigners are no longer in Afghanistan to fight, so the Ministry of Virtue and Vice needs a new target to justify its existence—and that target is women. When they say ‘tighten your belts,’ it means hostility toward the everyday life of the people: joy, art, recreation, freedom, and social interaction.”

Soraya, who has experienced four years of life under Taliban rule, said, “Since its inception, the Ministry of Virtue and Vice has worked to make life increasingly difficult for Afghan citizens. The Taliban have always been tightening their belts to take away joy, especially from women, and deny them even the right to breathe freely.”

She added, “Now that they’ve issued this order again, it means they want to enforce it more strictly, increase restrictions, and put even more pressure on people’s lives. The Ministry of Virtue and Vice monitors even the smallest details of private life—from smartphones to men’s beards and women’s veils. There’s no limit to their restrictions, or if there is, it will only become more stringent.”

Zahra (pseudonym) said, “Even though the Taliban know that people hate them and their actions are unacceptable, they continue down the same wrong path. They understand that their oppressive policies have exhausted people; it’s natural that when people feel powerless, they curse. But the problem is that their understanding only goes this far; they know they’re being cursed, but they don’t understand why. This shows how deeply they’re mired in ignorance and arrogance.”

Furugh (pseudonym), a young woman from Herat, said, “The behavior of the Taliban’s enforcers toward women is harsh, threatening, and terrifying. Even if they don’t say anything, just seeing them creates an inexplicable fear. As women, we instinctively try to adjust our veils, keep our heads down, and quickly move away from them. When they react to women, they act as if they are the sole rulers of the earth, doing everything in their power to suppress women and girls.”

She added, “They think women are hateful, corrupt creatures who bring sin and lead society to ruin if they are active in public. Meanwhile, they themselves are busy trying to marry multiple women.”

Meanwhile, some citizens have pointed out that Hanafi’s words are not just religious advice but a call to arms for enforcers stationed in streets, markets, and public places to suppress anything they deem “un-Islamic.” According to them, “tightening their belts” symbolizes violence, extremism, and the forced implementation of laws.

Tawheed, a citizen, said that despite widespread fear of the Taliban, people no longer have control over how they dress, walk, or live their lives. Yet, the group still believes that the current restrictions are not enough and that life must be made even more hellish for the people. According to him, the order to “tighten their belts” means that life will become even darker and more oppressive than it already is.

These concerns arise as local sources from various districts in Khost province report that enforcers from the Ministry of Virtue and Vice have shut down shops selling women’s products. On Tuesday, September 4, sources reported that shops in the Gurbuz district and other areas were closed. The enforcers warned shopkeepers that selling goods to women is prohibited. Sources also added that new restrictions have been imposed on women’s movement, shopping, and outdoor activities in the province.