Taliban Traffic Officers Beat Rickshaw Driver in Herat, Sparking Widespread Outcry

A video circulating on social media shows traffic officers affiliated with the Taliban administration in Herat brutally beating a passenger rickshaw driver, an incident that has triggered widespread reactions among users. The footage depicts several traffic officers stopping the driver in an urban area and violently confronting him without clear explanation. So far, official sources have not confirmed the exact time and location of the event.

This incident comes amid the Taliban administration’s recent ban on the operation of about one hundred thousand intercity passenger rickshaws on major city roads in Herat, alongside the seizure of thousands of rickshaws. This decision has posed serious challenges to the livelihoods of many residents and rickshaw drivers.

Observers say that the use of force and violent encounters with citizens—especially those working to support their families—reflects a lack of transparent, accountable, and lawful mechanisms in the enforcement of urban regulations by the Taliban administration. This has further heightened concerns over violations of citizens’ rights.