Page 17 - Taliban

Taliban's ban on women workers hits vital international aid for Afghans

Last June, a team of female doctors and nurses drove six hours across mountains, dry riverbeds and on unpaved roads to reach victims of a massive earthquake that had just hit eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 1,000 people. When they got there, a day after the earthquake hit, they found the men had been treated, but the women had not. In Afghanistan's deeply conservative society, the women had stayed inside their tents, unable to come out to get medical help and other assistance because there were no women aid workers. The women still had blood on them, said Samira Sayed-Rahman, from the aid agency International Rescue Committee. It was only after she met local elders to tell them about the arrival of a female medical team that women came out to get treatment. That's not just the situation in emergencies; in many parts of the country, women don't go out to get aid, she said. It's an example, Sayed-Rahman said, of how vital women workers are to humanitarian operations in ...

Australia pulls out from Afghanistan ODI series, says Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday announced it has withdrawn from the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan, saying it is "unable to proceed" with the fixture amid Taliban's growing restrictions on women and girls. Australia were slated to take on Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series as part of the ICC Super League in UAE in March. However, after "extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, including the Australian Government", the CA decided to abandon the fixture. "Cricket Australia has decided that it is unable to proceed at this time with the upcoming ICC Super League three-match Men's ODI series between Australia and Afghanistan scheduled for the UAE in March 2023," CA said in a statement. "This decision follows the recent announcement by the Taliban of further restrictions on women's and girls' education and employment opportunities and their ability to access parks and gyms. "CA is committed to supporting growing the game for women and men around the world, ...

Afghan women, girls athletes barred from play, fear Taliban threats

Noura's determination to play sports was so great that she defied her family's opposition for years. Beatings from her mother and jeers from her neighbours never stopped her from the sports she loved. But the 20-year-old Afghan woman could not defy her country's Taliban rulers. They have not just banned all sports for women and girls, they have actively intimidated and harassed those who once played, often scaring them from even practising in private, Noura and other women say. Noura has been left shattered. I'm not the same person anymore, she said. Since the Taliban came, I feel like I'm dead. A number of girls and women who once played a variety of sports told The Associated Press they have been intimidated by the Taliban with visits and phone calls warning them not to engage in their sports. The women and girls spoke on condition of anonymity for fear they will face further threats. They posed for an AP photographer for portraits with the equipment of the sports they loved. The

Still open to ceasefire agreement with Pakistan govt, says Taliban chief

The chief of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has said that his group is still open to a ceasefire agreement with the Pakistan government, according to media reports. In November last year, the TTP called off an indefinite ceasefire agreed with the government in June 2022 and ordered its militants to carry out attacks on the security forces. The TTP, which is believed to have close links to al-Qaeda, has threatened to target top leaders of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's PML-N and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's PPP if the ruling coalition continued to implement strict measures against the militants. However, the dreaded outfit insisted that it has not scrapped the ceasefire agreement with the government. We held talks with Pakistan mediated by Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan. We are still open to the ceasefire agreement, the Dawn newspaper quoted TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsood as saying in a video on Saturday. Mehsood's change in stance comes amid reports

UN asks Taliban to lift bans on female education, work for aid agencies

Top UN diplomat in Afghanistan met Taliban-appointed education minister Mohammad Nadeem in Kabul on Saturday and called for the urgent lifting of the bans on female education and work for aid agencies."Afghanistan is entering a new period of crisis. Taliban bans on female education & work for aid agencies will harm all Afghans. UN envoy Potzel Markus called for the urgent lifting of the bans in a meeting today with de facto authorities' Minister Higher Education, Moh. Nadeem," United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in a tweet.The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021 and imposed policies severely restricting basic rights--particularly those of women and girls, according to Human Rights Watch.Last month, the Taliban imposed a restriction on female higher education and a ban on women from working in humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Human rights experts and members of the international community described these measures as a major blow to ...

Afghan Americans protest against Taliban ban on women's education

Protesting against the recent ban on women's education in Afghanistan, a large number of Afghan Americans have pledged to fight against this atrocious policy of the Taliban government. "We are here to fight for girls' right to education," Rayan Yasini from California representing the Afghan Cultural Society said in front of the White House on Sunday as she was joined by a large number of Afghan Americans from across the country. "Ever since the Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan, girls no longer have the right to study. We are here to ensure that it does not stay that way," Yasini said. Nasir Khan, president of the Afghan Society, urged the Taliban government to withdraw the recent ban on education of girls in the country. Afghan girls need to get their rights, he demanded. Participating in the protest demonstration in front of the White House, Hikmat Sorosh, an Afghan American, alleged that the Taliban has systematically taken steps to prevent girls from education. "The who

Afghanistan's Taliban regime warns Pakistan of consequences if attacked

The Taliban government in Kabul said that it would not allow anyone to attack the Islamic Emirate and give a befitting response if any such misadventure is considered by Islamabad

UN committed to delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, says envoy

UN and its humanitarian partners are committed to delivery of life-saving services to the people of Afghanistan despite the Taliban-run administration's decision to ban women from working in NGOs

UNSC calls on Taliban to drop 'unfathomable' restrictions on women

The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday decried increasing restrictions on women's rights in Afghanistan, urging the country's Taliban rulers to reverse them immediately. The Security Council "reiterated its deep concern of the suspension of schools beyond the sixth grade, and its call for the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan," it said in a press statement. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker pointed to "terrible consequences" of a decision to bar women from working for non-governmental organizations. Last week, Taliban authorities stopped university education for women, sparking international outrage and demonstrations in Afghan cities. On Saturday, they announced the exclusion of women from NGO work, a move that already has prompted four major international aid agencies to suspend operations in Afghanistan. "No country can develop indeed survive socially and economically with half its population excluded," U.N. High Commissione

Saudi Arabia, Australia ask citizens in Pakistan to limit movement

The warnings came a day after the US embassy stopped its staff from visiting the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad due to fears of an attack

Devastating for Afghan people: Blinken on Taliban banning women from NGOs

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced grave concerns over the Taliban regime's decisions to ban women from jobs in Afghanistan.Taking to Twitter, Blinken posted, "This decision could be devastating for the Afghan people. Women are central to humanitarian operations around the world."The Ministry of Economy under the caretaker Taligan regime on Saturday ordered all national and international non-government organisations to suspend the jobs of women employees until further notice, Afghan news agency TOLO News reported.Citing the spokesperson for the Taliban, Abdul Rahman Habib, TOLOnews said Afghanistan's Ministry of Economy (MOE) warned that any organisation, which does not implement the order, will lose the MoE licence.US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, in response to the temporary job ban on women, said the Islamic Emirate (the caretake Taliban regime in Afghanistan) has forgotten its real responsibilities to its people."The Taliban's decree barring women ..

EU condemns Taliban's ban on women working for NGOs over dress code issue

The European Union condemned the Taliban's ban on women working for NGOs and said that it was assessing the impact of its aid in Afghanistan

Blinken raises concerns over China's Covid surge, Taliban and Ukraine war

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concern over the surging Covid cases in China, the Taliban banning women from universities and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war

25 militants killed in Pak army raid on detention centre; one hostage dies

After talks failed to resolve a two-day standoff, army commandos stormed the centre on Tuesday. Ten soldiers, including three officers, were also wounded

India 'closely monitoring' security situation in Afghanistan, UNSC told

'We are deeply concerned at the unfolding humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. In response to the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people'

US condemns Taliban's restrictions on women's education in Afghanistan

The United States has condemned the recent decision of the Taliban with regard to imposing restrictions on education of women in Afghanistan. The United States condemns the Taliban's indefensible decision to prevent Afghan women from receiving a university-level education, White House NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Tuesday. This deplorable decision is the latest effort by Taliban leadership to impose additional restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan and prevent them from exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms, he said. As a result of this unacceptable stance to hold back half of the population of Afghanistan, the Taliban will be further alienated from the international community and denied the legitimacy they desire, Watson said. The United States is in touch with our partners and allies on this issue. We will continue to take steps to advance our shared efforts to support Afghan women and girls and provide robust humanitarian support to the people

India discusses opium poppy cultivation, Taliban-Al-Qaida relations at UNSC

India on Tuesday (local time) raised concerns over Opium poppy cultivation, Taliban-Al-Qaida relations and erosion of human rights at a United Nations Security Council briefing on Afghanistan

Taliban bar women from university education in Afghanistan despite promises

Female students have been banned from private and public universities in Afghanistan effective immediately and until further notice, a Taliban government spokesman said Tuesday in the latest edict cracking down on women's rights and freedoms. Despite initially promising a more moderate rule respecting rights for women's and minorities, the Taliban have widely implemented their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. They have banned girls from middle school and high school, restricted women from most employment and ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public. Women are also banned from parks and gyms. The Taliban were ousted in 2001 by a U.S.-led coalition for harboring al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and returned to power after America's chaotic departure last year. The decision was announced after a government meeting. A letter shared by the spokesman for the Ministry of Higher Education, Ziaullah Hashmi, told private and public universities to implement the ban

2 killed as Pak Taliban militants take hostages at counter-terrorism centre

At least two policemen were killed when Pakistani Taliban militants dramatically seized a counter-terrorism centre and took some people as hostages in Pakistan's troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, prompting authorities to put the Army's special forces on alert on Monday as they initiated negotiations with the terrorists. The standoff began on Sunday when an arrested militant who was being interrogated at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station inside the Bannu Cantonment snatched an AK-47 from the police and opened fire. He then freed other suspects being held at the building and they took control of the compound. They also took several policemen hostage. The situation is still tense 21 hours after the incident as a military operation is going on, officials said. Two policemen were killed in the incident, sources said. Several others were reported injured. Akram Khan Durrani, a former chief minister of the province, and sitting provincial minister Malik Shah Muham

One killed as Taliban militants take hostages in northwest Pakistan

At least one policeman was killed and many others were injured when Pakistani Taliban militants seized a counter-terrorism centre and took some people hostage in the Bannu district of Pakistan's troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. One of the militants, who had been arrested and being interrogated at Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station inside the cantonment, on Sunday snatched an AK-47 from the police and opened fire. He then freed other suspects being held at the building who took control of the compound. They also took several policemen hostage. The situation is still tense 17 hours after the incident as a military operation is going on. The body of one policeman killed in the shooting has been shifted to a local hospital in Bannu. Akram Khan Durrani, a former chief minister of the province, and sitting provincial minister Malik Shah Muhammad have reached Bannu to initiate talks with the militants. Both Durrani and Muhammad hail from Bannu. Militants have demand