Young, urban women in Afghanistan are increasingly ditching the all-enveloping blue burka with a face mesh that has become a symbol of the Taliban’s oppression of women.
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Since their return to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed their ultra-strict interpretation of Islamic law, modelled on that of their previous rule over the Central Asian country from 1996 to 2001.
But while women must still have their bodies and faces covered, restrictions from the feared religious police do not specifically mention the burka.
So young women are instead following fashions seen in many Gulf nations.
Many prefer a flowing abaya robe, worn with a hijab headscarf and often a face covering as well – sometimes a medical mask, or a Saudi-style cloth niqab veil that exposes only the eyes.
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“The new generation would never accept wearing a burka, because of the design and colour,” said 23-year-old Tahmina Adel in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
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