The United Nations said Wednesday a boy was shot dead during a women's rights rally in Afghanistan's Herat city a day earlier, when witnesses told AFP security forces dispersed protesters with live fire.
Police have denied that any weapons were used during Tuesday's demonstration by dozens of men, in response to the Taliban government's morality police detaining women for not wearing the body-cloaking chador or burqa.
Herat's morality police on Wednesday announced new restrictions governing the appearance of women and girls, including preventing them from showing their bare feet or wearing make-up in public.
Responding to the earlier protest by residents, the UN mission in Afghanistan said it was 'alarmed by the excessive use of force by Afghanistan's de facto security forces'.
'UNAMA has confirmed that at least one person, a boy, was killed by gunfire, while several others suffered injuries after being beaten with sticks, and is verifying reports of a second fatality,' UNAMA said in a statement.
Two witnesses told AFP they saw the security forces firing weapons, while one of them said they also saw sticks and whips being used.
Saeed Masoud Hussaini, spokesman for Herat police, accused demonstrators on Tuesday of seeking 'to disturb public order'.
People 'attempted to gather and create tensions under the pretext of protesting issues related to the observance of the hijab' dress code, he told AFP.
'Thanks to the timely presence of security forces, the situation was brought fully under control, and further escalation of tensions was prevented,' he added.
The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV), which deploys morality police officers to enforce the law, did not comment on women in Herat being detained over the dress code when contacted by AFP.
But Herat's PVPV wing on Wednesday announced that new rules 'have recently been implemented' and warned failure to comply may result in 'detention and imprisonment'.
'The use of face masks and socks is mandatory for women and girls,' the authority wrote in a six-point statement.
'Having any part of the hair visible from the forehead, sides, or back of the head is considered a violation of Islamic dress regulations,' it added.
UNAMA documented the arrest of at least 30 women in Herat over the dress code on Saturday and Sunday.
Across Afghanistan, women must be almost entirely covered when they leave home, with many wearing a flowing abaya robe, a Muslim headscarf and a face covering.
