Boy killed as Afghan forces disperse women's rights protest in Herat

A boy died when Afghan security forces used excessive force to break up a women's rights demonstration in the western city of Herat, according to the United Nations. The UN condemned the disproportionate response by Taliban authorities against protesters demanding basic rights for women and girls. The incident highlights the ongoing crackdown on women's freedoms in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has systematically stripped away women's rights to education, employment, and public participation since returning to power in 2021.