The Taliban have detained several women who participated in a protest near the presidential palace in Kabul on Tuesday, one of the protesters told Sputnik.

According to a protester, an anti-Pakistan rally took place in the Afghan capital, with many injured after the Taliban opened fire on protesters.

“The Taliban first opened fire in the air and then opened fire on the protesters, injuring many protesters,” he said.

In addition, a reporter told Sputnik that the Taliban seized cameras from journalists when they started dispersing crowds.

Hundreds of Afghans took to the streets of Kabul on Tuesday, demanding that Pakistan stops interfering in Afghanistan’s affairs.

The protests took place in at least two locations in the city centre, with participants chanting slogans against Pakistani meddling in the country.

Many Afghans, including former officials, said Pakistan supports the Taliban and has helped them in their recent military campaign during which the militant group took over the country.

Islamabad has denied any involvement.

In one of the many videos of the protests circulating on social media, a female participant said she and the other protesters are not there for personal gains but to defend their country.

“We are here to defend our country. Pakistan has started a direct invasion in Afghanistan, and we are asking why its chief intelligence is here? What is his purpose?” she said.

On Sunday and Monday, the head of Pakistan’s intelligence service ISI, Faiz Hameed, visited Kabul and conducted meetings with Taliban officials.

According to a BBC reporter, many protesters in Kabul alleged Pakistan supported the Taliban in fighting in Panjshir province, which fell to the Taliban on Monday after almost a week of fighting.

Many protesters chanted “Freedom”, probably hinting at support for Ahmad Massud, who led the armed National Resistance Front in Panjshir and is hiding since the Taliban took over the province.

He had called all Afghans to a national uprising in an audio message on Monday and shortly after tweeted only the word “Freedom.”

A foreign journalist wrote on Twitter that well-disciplined Taliban members allowed a protest of around 300 to 500 people to continue for several kilometres through the streets of Kabul.

However, Taliban members guarding Zanbak Square fired in the air, beat protesters, vandalised a vehicle leading them, and tore cameras from journalists.

The popular news channel ToloNews reported on Twitter that the Taliban detained a ToloNews camera operator and confiscated his camera.

A former member of parliament in northern Balkh province said there was a similar protest against Pakistan late on Monday in Mazar-e Sharif.