Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban government has barred girls and women from high schools and universities, banned them from parks, funfairs and gyms and ordered them to cover up in public.

The order issued last month forces the closure of thousands of beauty parlors nationwide run by women – often the only source of income for households – and outlaws one of the few remaining opportunities for them to socialize away from home.

"Don't take my bread and water," read a sign carried by one of the protesters on Butcher Street, which boasts a concentration of the capital's salons.

Public protests are rare in Afghanistan – and frequently dispersed by force – but AFP saw around 50 women taking part in Wednesday's gathering, quickly attracting the attention of security personnel.

Protesters later shared videos and photos with journalists that showed authorities using a firehose to disperse them as shots could be heard in the background. 

"Today we arranged this protest to talk and negotiate," said a salon worker, whose name has not been published by AFP for security reasons. 

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