The Taliban has put forth an order prohibiting barbershops in parts of Afghanistan from shaving or trimming men’s beards, contending that the rule conforms to Shariah law, according to the Associated Press.
“The order in Helmand province was issued by the provincial Taliban government’s vice and virtue department to barbers in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital,” the AP reported.
The order warns the violators will face punishment.
“If anyone violates the rule (they) will be punished and no one has a right to complain,” the order warns, according to the AP.
“I request our Taliban brothers to give freedom to people to live the way they want, if they want to trim their beard or hair,” barbershop owner Jalaluddin said, according to the AP. “Now we have few clients coming to us, they are scared, they don’t want to trim their hair or beards, so I request them let people free, so we have our business and people can freely come to us.”
The AP reported that on Saturday Taliban members slayed four alleged kidnappers and hung their corpses in public squares in Herat.
The news comes in the wake of the Taliban’s swift takeover of Afghanistan, where the group seized the capital city of Kabul on Aug. 15. The U.S. announced the completion of its pullout from Afghanistan in late August, even as some U.S. citizens and Afghan allies remained stranded there.
Taliban figure Mullah Nooruddin Turabi recently told the Associated Press that the Taliban will again engage in executions and hand amputations.
“Cutting off of hands is very necessary for security,” Turabi said, remarking that it had a deterrent impact, according to the outlet, which also reported that he said the Cabinet is examining whether to carry out punishments publicly and will “develop a policy.”
“We will follow Islam and we will make our laws on the Quran,” he said, according to the outlet.