In some Afghan provinces, warlords still reign supreme. Under their authority, the treatment of women is bleakly reminiscent of Taliban rule; as this video of a woman being whipped in public goes to show.

Please be aware, you may find these images upsetting.

The footage, posted online by Afghani women's rights organisation RAWA, based in Pakistan, was originally aired by the Afghan TV channel "Tolo TV" on Feb. 18 (the logo of the channel is seen at the bottom of the screen).

When contacted by FRANCE 24, the Afghan channel told us that the scene had taken place in December 2009 in the Dolina district (Ghor province, central), and that the footage was filmed by one of its sources there.

According to Ghor governor Abdul Hai Khatibi, the two women flogged that day -- only one is seen on the video -- had been forced to marry against their will. Beaten by their husbands, they ran away from their respective homes disguised in men's clothing. After a month on the run they were caught by police in Chasht (Herat province, west), arrested, and sent back to their husbands.

Both women were sentenced to 45 lashes in public. In a statement made on Pajhowk Afghan News, the deputy chief of police of Dolina district, Jahan Shah, explained that the case had been handed over to the local warlord, Fazl Ahad. He decided to have the women punished for running away, but also demanded that the husbands, whom he deemed guilty as well, divorce their wives.