VIDEO: Taliban fire in air to disperse women protesters in Kabul

Gulf Today Report

On Tuesday, elements of the Afghan Taliban movement fired in the air to disperse dozens of women who demonstrated in Kabul against Pakistan's interference in the country's affairs and also demand for their rights.

About 70 people, mostly women, gathered outside the Pakistani embassy, raising banners and chants against what they saw as the intervention of Islamabad, which has long been accused of having a good relationship with the Taliban.

Taliban gunmen were seen firing into the air to disperse the crowd.

A day before, women gathered in Mazar-e-Sharif (north) to demand their rights.

Others gathered in Herat last week, to demand that they be allowed to participate in the new government.

Tuesday's demonstration came after the movement announced its complete control over Afghanistan, noting that it had won the main battle for control of the Panjshir Valley, the last stronghold of the resistance against the movement's rule.

The Taliban, which came to power last month, has announced its government formation on Tuesday, but Afghans have organised small and isolated protests in cities including Kabul, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif, at a time when they fear the movement will re-impose its brutal regime in the 1990s.

Pakistani intelligence chief Fayez Hamid was in Kabul at the weekend to obtain a briefing from his country's ambassador, according to media reports, but it is likely that he also met Taliban officials.