At least 75 people have died in drowning incidents across Afghanistan since the beginning of the current solar year, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, spokesperson for the authority, said three other people were injured in water-related incidents during the same period.

Among those who lost their lives were 27 men, seven women and 41 children, highlighting the high number of child fatalities in drowning accidents.

The authority did not provide details on the locations of the incidents but urged the public to take precautionary measures near rivers, canals, dams and other bodies of water, particularly during the summer season when swimming and recreational activities increase.

Afghanistan’s Chargé d’Affaires to Saudi Arabia, Abdul Fattah Mawlawi Sakhi, met with Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in Riyadh to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

The meeting was held on Sunday at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat in the Saudi capital.

According to a statement from the GCC, the two sides reviewed relations between Afghanistan and the Gulf bloc and discussed a number of topics.

They also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments, although no further details were provided on the topics discussed.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed concern over reports that several women in Herat province have been detained for allegedly failing to comply with dress requirements, warning that the incidents raise serious human rights concerns.

In a statement issued on Sunday, UNAMA said it had received reports of multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat linked to alleged violations of dress regulations and was closely monitoring the situation.

“UNAMA is concerned over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat for alleged non-compliance with dress requirements, which raises serious human rights concerns,” the mission said.

The UN mission reiterated that freedom of movement is a fundamental right and stressed that both women and men are entitled to equal protection under the law.

The statement comes as the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan continue to be a key issue in discussions between the Islamic Emirate and the international community. International organizations have repeatedly called for the protection of fundamental rights, while the Islamic Emirate maintains that women’s rights are safeguarded in accordance with Sharia law.

Authorities have not yet publicly responded to UNAMA’s statement.