Taliban govt. ban women from universities, sparking international outcry

The de-facto Taliban government in Kabul has announced an indefinite ban on university education for women in Afghanistan, sparking international condemnation and outcry.

The controversial decision was announced on Tuesday by the Ministry of Higher Education, saying it would take immediate effect.

The latest move is likely to complicate the Taliban’s efforts to gain international recognition and get rid of sanctions that have crippled the Afghan economy.

The United Nations and several countries condemned the government order. The UN's Special Rapporteur to Afghanistan said it was "a new low further violating the right to equal education and deepens the erasure of women from Afghan society."

In neighboring Pakistan, government officials said they were "disappointed" by the Taliban's decision but still advocated engagement with the group.

"I still think the easiest path to our goal - despite having a lot of setbacks when it comes to women's education and other things - is through Kabul and through the interim government," Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.

Despite promising a moderate rule after forming the caretaker government last year, the Taliban have taken a series of controversial decisions.

They have banned girls from middle school and high school, restricted women from most employment, and even banned them from public parks and gyms.

The Taliban's spiritual leader who is based in the southern city of Kandahar has the final say on important decisions.

“This decision had been anticipated for weeks, prompting some Western officials to start talking about additional sanctions and further economic restrictions,” Graeme Smith, senior consultant at International Crisis Group, was quoted as saying.

“But the flood of outrage from the West will strengthen the resolve of the Taliban leadership, which defines itself as a bulwark against the outside world.”

Taliban leaders have said they want peaceful relations with the international community, but that foreigners should not interfere in the country's internal affairs.

The socioeconomic situation in the country continues to deteriorate as the US has refused to release the funds belonging to the country's central bank.

Meanwhile, the US State Department on Wednesday announced the Taliban have released two Americans detained in Afghanistan.

“This, we understand, to have been a goodwill gesture on the part of the Taliban. This was not part of any swap of prisoners or detainees. There was no money that exchanged hands,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

Without referring to the Taliban's new law banning higher education for Afghan girls, Price said Washington continues to discuss with the Taliban the need to release any American citizens still in Afghanistan.

“We are in a position to welcome the release of two American nationals from detention in Afghanistan. We are providing these to US nationals with all appropriate assistance. They will soon be reunited with their loved ones,” Price said.

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