The Taliban have issued a ban on hairdressers in Afghanistan's Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, warning that violators will face punishment under the group's interpretation of Islamic law. A notice posted in salons, seen by the BBC, stated that barbers must follow Sharia law and that no one has a right to complain.
Similar orders have reportedly been given to barbers in the capital, Kabul. One barber said fighters kept coming to order them to stop trimming beards, even suggesting undercover inspectors would be sent to catch those who disobey. Another barber, who runs a large salon, received a call from someone claiming to be a government official instructing him to stop following American styles and not to shave or trim beards.
The directives signal a return to the strict rules of the Taliban's previous rule from 1996 to 2001, when men were forced to grow beards. Despite promises of a milder government, the group has carried out harsh punishments since taking power last month, including the public display of bodies of alleged kidnappers shot dead in Herat.
Barbers, who have not been named for their safety, say the new rules threaten their livelihoods. One remarked that his salon had been a place for young people to look trendy, but now there was no point continuing. Another, who had worked for 15 years, said fashion salons were becoming forbidden businesses.
In Herat, a barber said he had stopped offering beard trims even without an official order, as customers feared being targeted by Taliban fighters in the streets. He noted that business had dried up despite slashing prices, as nobody cared about style or fashion anymore.
