Thousands of Afghans protested the Taliban in the southern city of Kandahar on Tuesday after residents were asked to leave a residential army colony, according to former government officials and local television footage.
Protesters gathered in front of the Governor’s house in Kandahar after about 3,000 families were asked to leave the colony, according to former government officials who witnessed the crowd.
Video from local media showed a crowd of people blocking the streets of the city.
The affected area is dominated by the families of retired Army generals and other members of the Afghan security forces.
Officials who spoke with some of the affected people said some of their families had lived in the area for almost 30 years but were given three days off.
A Taliban spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the eviction of peasants.
Although there were no confirmed reports of violence on Tuesday, sporadic protests against the Taliban, which occupied Kabul almost a month ago and came to power in Afghanistan, ended in occasional fatal clashes.
The United Nations said on Friday that the Taliban’s response to peaceful protests has become increasingly violent.
