The Taliban is intensifying a ban on music. In the western city of Herat, residents say that members of the Taliban's morality police have searched cars and confiscated MP3 players and USBs containing music. Others say the militants are seizing musical instruments, which they then burn publicly.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on August 17 urged the Taliban to uphold international human rights standards and grant imprisoned journalists and activists the right to meet with members of their family.