The Taliban arrested at least 30 women, accusing them of violating dress code requirements, the UN agency for women's rights said.

The UN Women said Thursday it was "gravely concerned" by the arrests, which they said heightened fear and apprehension among women and girls.

The arrests come amid a growing struggle for women in Afghanistan, with dozens of people having joined a rare protest last weekend to denounce the actions of Taliban authorities in the western city of Herat.

The information on protests has been hard to verify, with local media having reported that the Taliban's "morality police," or the Department for the ⁠Promotion ​of Virtue and Prevention of ​Vice, had detained some women in the days before the protests for allegedly failing to comply with hijab regulations.

But local authorities have denied reports that women were arrested.

Since taking over Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have  curtailed women's roles in various areas of public life such as banning them from attending schools beyond sixth grade and severely limiting their employment opportunities.

Taliban allegedly opened fire on protesters

Local media said protests erupted last weekend after morality officials arrested women opposing the mandatory dress requirement, which requires women to be fully covered in public except for their eyes.

Video on social media, though unverified, showed armed officials breaking up the demonstration, which included fully veiled women among the protesters. 

The UN Women said in its statement Thursday that Taliban security forces allegedly opened fire on the crowd of protesters, targeting men, women and children. 

At least two people, including a boy, were killed, and more than 20 were injured.

Herat, long regarded as one of Afghanistan's most cultural and artistic centers, was one of the first major cities that fell to the Taliban in 2021.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

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