Eight months after fleeing Kabul as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, Farida trains at a suburban Melbourne pitch, dreaming of one day playing soccer for her country while lamenting the fate of fellow women players back home.

The 20-year-old striker was one of 77 Afghan athletes, family members and officials evacuated from Afghanistan last year by the Australian government after lobbying by prominent figures in the sporting world.

Some of the evacuees have left Australia and found asylum in other countries, but more than 30 women footballers remain in Melbourne, rebuilding their lives with the support of one of the country`s top professional clubs.

"We`re in a secure place and everyone is really nice," Kabul native Farida told Reuters at training with her Afghan teammates on Wednesday.

"But in Afghanistan, after the Taliban took control, everything has been turned upside down."

Girls' and women`s sport has been crushed by the Taliban government`s hardline policies. Men have continued to play sport at community and elite level in the country but women are effectively confined to their homes by a mixture of regulation and intimidation.

The Taliban last week banned women from appearing in public with faces uncovered, having already ordered limits on their movement without a male chaperone. The Afghan footballers in Melbourne enjoy Australia`s freedoms and don`t hesitate to speak out against the Taliban.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wagatha-christie-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-legal-battle-between-coleen-rooney-and-rebekah-vardy-478101">Wagatha Christie: All you need to know about the legal battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy</a>

But Melbourne Victory, who are sponsoring their soccer programme, ask them not to share their surnames for fear of potential reprisals to families back home.

"There are no women`s rights in Afghanistan," said Farida, who is studying at a local university and found work at a local telecommunications firm.

"Women athletes are stuck in their homes. I get text messages from them saying they want to get out of Afghanistan."

Melbourne Victory, four-times champions in Australia`s top-flight A-League, have shown their commitment to the squad by drafting in their successful professional women`s coach Jeff Hopkins to train them while providing support staff and physiotherapists.

The players, of varying age and technical ability, are now competing in a local amateur league while often juggling work, study and English lessons. By offering professional training and pathways, Victory hope the squad might one day be able to play some form of international football as a "team in exile".

"We want to make them the best possible team they can be," Victory`s Director of Football John Didulica told Reuters.

"With that, people will be inspired by their courage, their commitment and their standing up to the ideology of the Taliban as women who are asserting themselves on the sporting field."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-allows-russia-to-take-part-in-its-congress-despite-ban-on-clubs-and-country-478202">UEFA allows Russia to take part in its congress despite ban on clubs and country</a>

Players joked about Australian slang before they started training, and there was plenty of good-natured banter during drills on a foggy night. Some wore head coverings but most just wore standard soccer kit. Players said the training was a welcome distraction from homesickness and worries about family.

There were limited seats available on the plane that flew them out of Kabul, meaning agonising choices and loved ones left behind. Farida was separated from family at the airport and lost her suitcase in the confusion. 
She has no relatives in Melbourne but lives with one of her teammates.

Fellow striker Shamsia, from Afghanistan`s northern province of Baghlan, described herself as "in shock" after arriving in Australia after transit through Dubai. "Everything was hard for me," the 21-year-old told Reuters.

"Then we started football training and I saw the girls two or three times a week, it got easier every time."

Once training with a national youth squad, Shamsia was on the brink of an international debut in Tajikistan but it was scuppered by the Taliban takeover. She said her little sister back home was probably a more talented footballer than her but had little hope of playing.

That made representing Afghanistan as a team in Melbourne all the more important. "We want to show to the world that women of Afghanistan are strong, and that we won`t stop," she said.

"We will keep fighting."

Eight months after fleeing Kabul as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, Farida trains at a suburban Melbourne pitch, dreaming of one day playing soccer for her country while lamenting the fate of fellow women players back home.

Eight months after fleeing Kabul as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, Farida trains at a suburban Melbourne pitch, dreaming of one day playing soccer for her country while lamenting the fate of fellow women players back home. The 20-year-old striker was one of 77 Afghan athletes, family members and officials evacuated from Afghanistan last year by the Australian government after lobbying by prominent figures in the sporting world. Some of the evacuees have left Australia and found asylum in other countries, but more than 30 women footballers remain in Melbourne, rebuilding their lives with the support of one of the country`s top professional clubs. "We`re in a secure place and everyone is really nice," Kabul native Farida told Reuters at training with her Afghan teammates on Wednesday. "But in Afghanistan, after the Taliban took control, everything has been turned upside down." Girls' and women`s sport has been crushed by the Taliban government`s hardline policies. Men have continued to play sport at community and elite level in the country but women are effectively confined to their homes by a mixture of regulation and intimidation. The Taliban last week banned women from appearing in public with faces uncovered, having already ordered limits on their movement without a male chaperone. The Afghan footballers in Melbourne enjoy Australia`s freedoms and don`t hesitate to speak out against the Taliban. Also Read: Wagatha Christie: All you need to know about the legal battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy But Melbourne Victory, who are sponsoring their soccer programme, ask them not to share their surnames for fear of potential reprisals to families back home. "There are no women`s rights in Afghanistan," said Farida, who is studying at a local university and found work at a local telecommunications firm. "Women athletes are stuck in their homes. I get text messages from them saying they want to get out of Afghanistan." Melbourne Victory, four-times champions in Australia`s top-flight A-League, have shown their commitment to the squad by drafting in their successful professional women`s coach Jeff Hopkins to train them while providing support staff and physiotherapists. The players, of varying age and technical ability, are now competing in a local amateur league while often juggling work, study and English lessons. By offering professional training and pathways, Victory hope the squad might one day be able to play some form of international football as a "team in exile". "We want to make them the best possible team they can be," Victory`s Director of Football John Didulica told Reuters. "With that, people will be inspired by their courage, their commitment and their standing up to the ideology of the Taliban as women who are asserting themselves on the sporting field." Also Read: UEFA allows Russia to take part in its congress despite ban on clubs and country Players joked about Australian slang before they started training, and there was plenty of good-natured banter during drills on a foggy night. Some wore head coverings but most just wore standard soccer kit. Players said the training was a welcome distraction from homesickness and worries about family. There were limited seats available on the plane that flew them out of Kabul, meaning agonising choices and loved ones left behind. Farida was separated from family at the airport and lost her suitcase in the confusion. She has no relatives in Melbourne but lives with one of her teammates. Fellow striker Shamsia, from Afghanistan`s northern province of Baghlan, described herself as "in shock" after arriving in Australia after transit through Dubai. "Everything was hard for me," the 21-year-old told Reuters. "Then we started football training and I saw the girls two or three times a week, it got easier every time." Once training with a national youth squad, Shamsia was on the brink of an international debut in Tajikistan but it was scuppered by the Taliban takeover. She said her little sister back home was probably a more talented footballer than her but had little hope of playing. That made representing Afghanistan as a team in Melbourne all the more important. "We want to show to the world that women of Afghanistan are strong, and that we won`t stop," she said. "We will keep fighting."

'We will keep fighting': Afghanistan women footballers train in Australia after fleeing Taliban rule

Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Laureate, has raised concern for Afghan women and girls after the Taliban issued an edict requiring women to wear the hijab.

"The Taliban want to erase girls and women from all public life in Afghanistan—to keep girls out of school and women out of work, to deny them the ability to travel without a male family member, and to force them to cover their faces and bodies completely. We must not lose our sense of alarm for Afghan women as the Taliban continue to break their promises. Even now, women are taking to the streets to fight for their human rights and dignity-all of us, and especially those from Muslim countries, must stand with them. I am asking leaders around the world to take collective action to hold the Taliban accountable for violating the human rights of millions of women and girls," tweeted Malala.

She called on world leaders to work together to hold the Taliban accountable for violating the human rights of millions of women and girls.

Watch | Malala Yousafzai fears for future of Afghan girls

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On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his concern about the Taliban's recent decision to require Afghan women to cover themselves from head to toe, a move that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights groups.

The Taliban is gradually obliterating Afghan women's human rights, according to UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, who spoke a day after the Taliban issued a new edict requiring full-body veiling as well as limits on education, movement, employment, and public life.

The Taliban-led administration has pledged to uphold human rights and women's rights, despite the fact that most of the outside community is unaware of this.

The UN mission in Afghanistan has raised an alarm about the statement, claiming that it goes against numerous guarantees that all Afghans' human rights, including women's and girls', will be respected and protected.

Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Laureate, has raised concern for Afghan women and girls after the Taliban issued an edict requiring women to wear the hijab. "The Taliban want to erase girls and women from all public life in Afghanistan—to keep girls out of school and women out of work, to deny them the ability to travel without a male family member, and to force them to cover their faces and bodies completely.

Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Laureate, has raised concern for Afghan women and girls after the Taliban issued an edict requiring women to wear the hijab. "The Taliban want to erase girls and women from all public life in Afghanistan—to keep girls out of school and women out of work, to deny them the ability to travel without a male family member, and to force them to cover their faces and bodies completely. We must not lose our sense of alarm for Afghan women as the Taliban continue to break their promises. Even now, women are taking to the streets to fight for their human rights and dignity-all of us, and especially those from Muslim countries, must stand with them. I am asking leaders around the world to take collective action to hold the Taliban accountable for violating the human rights of millions of women and girls," tweeted Malala. She called on world leaders to work together to hold the Taliban accountable for violating the human rights of millions of women and girls. Watch | Malala Yousafzai fears for future of Afghan girls On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his concern about the Taliban's recent decision to require Afghan women to cover themselves from head to toe, a move that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights groups. The Taliban is gradually obliterating Afghan women's human rights, according to UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, who spoke a day after the Taliban issued a new edict requiring full-body veiling as well as limits on education, movement, employment, and public life. The Taliban-led administration has pledged to uphold human rights and women's rights, despite the fact that most of the outside community is unaware of this. The UN mission in Afghanistan has raised an alarm about the statement, claiming that it goes against numerous guarantees that all Afghans' human rights, including women's and girls', will be respected and protected.

Taliban want to erase women from public life in Afghanistan: Malala Yousafzai

The Taliban are denying driving licenses to Afghan women. Their supreme leader is calling for mandatory face veils. How will the world respond to the Taliban's broken promises? Mariam Wardak tells you.

South Asia Diary: Taliban deny driving license to women

About a dozen&nbsp;women&nbsp;protested in the&nbsp;Afghan&nbsp;capital on Tuesday against the&nbsp;Taliban's new edict that females must fully cover their faces&nbsp;and bodies when in public.

Afghanistan's supreme leader and&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;chief Hibatullah Akhundzada issued a mandate over the weekend ordering women to cover&nbsp;up fully, ideally with the traditional all-covering burqa.

The diktat was the latest in a series of creeping restrictions in Afghanistan, where the Islamists have rolled back the marginal gains made by&nbsp;women&nbsp;after a US-led invasion toppled the first&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;regime in 2001.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-women-angry-as-taliban-makes-face-covering-mandatory-477656">Afghan women angry as Taliban makes face covering mandatory</a>

"Justice, justice!" chanted the protestors, many with uncovered&nbsp;faces, in central Kabul.

The demonstrators also chanted "Burqa is not our hijab!"&nbsp;indicating their objection to trading the less restrictive hijab headscarf for the totally concealing burqa.

Watch |&nbsp;South Asia Diary: Taliban deny driving license to women

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After a short procession, the march was halted by&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;fighters, who also obstructed journalists from reporting on the event.

Akhundzada's&nbsp;decree, which also orders&nbsp;women&nbsp;to "stay at home" if they have no important work outside, has triggered international condemnation.

"We want to live as human beings, not as some animal held captive in a corner of a house," protester Saira Sama Alimyar said at the rally.

Akhundzada also ordered authorities to fire female government employees who do not follow the new dress code, and to suspend male workers if their wives and daughters fail to comply.

In the 20 years between the&nbsp;Taliban's two stints in power,&nbsp;women&nbsp;made some gains in education, the workplace and public life but deeply conservative and patriarchal attitudes still prevailed.

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In the&nbsp;countryside, many&nbsp;women&nbsp;continued to wear the burqa in those two decades.

But several religious scholars and activists say the attire has no basis in Islam and is rather a&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;dress code designed to repress&nbsp;women.

After seizing power last year, the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;had promised a softer version of the harsh Islamist rule that characterised their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, but many restrictions have already been imposed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-want-to-erase-women-from-public-life-in-afghanistan-malala-yousafzai-477746">Taliban want to erase women from public life in Afghanistan: Malala Yousafzai</a>

Some&nbsp;Afghan&nbsp;women&nbsp;initially pushed back against the curbs, holding small protests where they demanded the right to education and work.

But the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;soon rounded up the ringleaders, holding them incommunicado while denying that they had been detained.

Since their release, most have gone silent.

About a dozen women protested in the Afghan capital on Tuesday against the Taliban's new edict that females must fully cover their faces and bodies when in public.

About a dozen women protested in the Afghan capital on Tuesday against the Taliban's new edict that females must fully cover their faces and bodies when in public. Afghanistan's supreme leader and Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada issued a mandate over the weekend ordering women to cover up fully, ideally with the traditional all-covering burqa. The diktat was the latest in a series of creeping restrictions in Afghanistan, where the Islamists have rolled back the marginal gains made by women after a US-led invasion toppled the first Taliban regime in 2001. Also read | Afghan women angry as Taliban makes face covering mandatory "Justice, justice!" chanted the protestors, many with uncovered faces, in central Kabul. The demonstrators also chanted "Burqa is not our hijab!" indicating their objection to trading the less restrictive hijab headscarf for the totally concealing burqa. Watch | South Asia Diary: Taliban deny driving license to women After a short procession, the march was halted by Taliban fighters, who also obstructed journalists from reporting on the event. Akhundzada's decree, which also orders women to "stay at home" if they have no important work outside, has triggered international condemnation. "We want to live as human beings, not as some animal held captive in a corner of a house," protester Saira Sama Alimyar said at the rally. Akhundzada also ordered authorities to fire female government employees who do not follow the new dress code, and to suspend male workers if their wives and daughters fail to comply. In the 20 years between the Taliban's two stints in power, women made some gains in education, the workplace and public life but deeply conservative and patriarchal attitudes still prevailed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE: In the countryside, many women continued to wear the burqa in those two decades. But several religious scholars and activists say the attire has no basis in Islam and is rather a Taliban dress code designed to repress women. After seizing power last year, the Taliban had promised a softer version of the harsh Islamist rule that characterised their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, but many restrictions have already been imposed. Also read | Taliban want to erase women from public life in Afghanistan: Malala Yousafzai Some Afghan women initially pushed back against the curbs, holding small protests where they demanded the right to education and work. But the Taliban soon rounded up the ringleaders, holding them incommunicado while denying that they had been detained. Since their release, most have gone silent.

Afghan women protest Taliban decree to cover faces

Recently, the&nbsp;Taliban’s leader Hibaitullah Akhunzada passed an order, mandating women to cover themselves from head&nbsp;to toe with&nbsp;just their eyes visible. It doesn’t end here, the Taliban leader, even advised that women should not leave their houses until it is necessary and even outlined punishments for male relatives of women who break the rule.&nbsp;

On Sunday (May 7), women in Kabul, the capital wore the traditional conservative Muslim attire. The majority wore the traditional hijab, which consists of headscarf and a long robe or coat, but a few wore a burqa, which covers their faces and hides the eyes behind netting as ordered by the Taliban a day before.

Watch |&nbsp;Panjshir valley: Taliban faces rebellion, Insurgent group launches offensive

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Women in Afghanistan wear the hijab, and many wear the burqa, but this isn't about hijab, this is about the Taliban wanting to make all women disappear," said Shabana, who wore brilliant gold bangles beneath her long black coat and her hair buried behind a black head scarf with sequins. She further said that the Taliban is making an attempt to make women invisible.&nbsp;

"Afghan women still protesting against Taliban violations of their rights, even after the Taliban has beaten, pepper-sprayed, abducted, detained and abused women protesters,"&nbsp;said Heather Barr, associate director of women's rights.

Hoda Khamosh, a women's rights activist, stated that Afghan women are no longer retreating and are confronting all difficulties.

"..this is the world that has closed its eyes to the crimes, the result of all these worries and all these meetings must be determined,"&nbsp;Khamosh tweeted.

The Taliban rulers are driving Afghans to leave their country. Why should I stay here if they don't want to give us our human rights? We are human," said Arooza, a teacher. Several women stopped to talk. They all challenged the latest edict.

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Akhunzada, prefers the harsh parts of the group’s earlier rule during the 1990s, when the females were generally excluded from school, work and public life.

In the meantime, the government is grappling with an economic crisis. The group is trying to get Western recognition but have mostly failed, owing to the Taliban’s failure to build a representative administrative and restrictions on women’s right. However, the movement’s hardliners and pragmatists have avoided direct confrontation.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/plan-to-ban-women-from-driving-taliban-stop-issuing-driving-licence-to-ladies-476431">Plan to ban women from driving? Taliban stop issuing driving licence to ladies</a>

On the eve of the starting of new sessions in school, divides between males and females were exacerbated when the Taliban made a last-minute decision that girls won’t be allowed to attend school&nbsp;after sixth grade.&nbsp;

This decision is a major setback for Afghan women who relatively enjoyed independence for two decades prior to the Taliban’s takeover last August, when US and other foreign forces departed ending a 20-year conflict.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Recently, the Taliban’s leader Hibaitullah Akhunzada passed an order, mandating women to cover themselves from head to toe with just their eyes visible. It doesn’t end here, the Taliban leader, even advised that women should not leave their houses until it is necessary and even outlined punishments for male relatives of women who break the rule.

Recently, the Taliban’s leader Hibaitullah Akhunzada passed an order, mandating women to cover themselves from head to toe with just their eyes visible. It doesn’t end here, the Taliban leader, even advised that women should not leave their houses until it is necessary and even outlined punishments for male relatives of women who break the rule. On Sunday (May 7), women in Kabul, the capital wore the traditional conservative Muslim attire. The majority wore the traditional hijab, which consists of headscarf and a long robe or coat, but a few wore a burqa, which covers their faces and hides the eyes behind netting as ordered by the Taliban a day before. Watch | Panjshir valley: Taliban faces rebellion, Insurgent group launches offensive Women in Afghanistan wear the hijab, and many wear the burqa, but this isn't about hijab, this is about the Taliban wanting to make all women disappear," said Shabana, who wore brilliant gold bangles beneath her long black coat and her hair buried behind a black head scarf with sequins. She further said that the Taliban is making an attempt to make women invisible. "Afghan women still protesting against Taliban violations of their rights, even after the Taliban has beaten, pepper-sprayed, abducted, detained and abused women protesters," said Heather Barr, associate director of women's rights. Hoda Khamosh, a women's rights activist, stated that Afghan women are no longer retreating and are confronting all difficulties. "..this is the world that has closed its eyes to the crimes, the result of all these worries and all these meetings must be determined," Khamosh tweeted. The Taliban rulers are driving Afghans to leave their country. Why should I stay here if they don't want to give us our human rights? We are human," said Arooza, a teacher. Several women stopped to talk. They all challenged the latest edict. WATCH WION LIVE HERE: Akhunzada, prefers the harsh parts of the group’s earlier rule during the 1990s, when the females were generally excluded from school, work and public life. In the meantime, the government is grappling with an economic crisis. The group is trying to get Western recognition but have mostly failed, owing to the Taliban’s failure to build a representative administrative and restrictions on women’s right. However, the movement’s hardliners and pragmatists have avoided direct confrontation. Also read | Plan to ban women from driving? Taliban stop issuing driving licence to ladies On the eve of the starting of new sessions in school, divides between males and females were exacerbated when the Taliban made a last-minute decision that girls won’t be allowed to attend school after sixth grade. This decision is a major setback for Afghan women who relatively enjoyed independence for two decades prior to the Taliban’s takeover last August, when US and other foreign forces departed ending a 20-year conflict. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan women angry as Taliban makes face covering mandatory

Taliban has ruled that all Afghan women must cover their faces with all-encompassing burkha and if any woman violates the order then her father or closest relative male will be either imprisoned or will be fired from their government jobs.

Taliban brings back Blue Burkha in Afghanistan, new decree sparks concerns

This week, the Afghan government ordered women to wear a burqa in public places and the United States was one of the first to issue a statement of condemnation on this issue. It says that Washington is extremely concerned for the women in Afghanistan.

Abortion & Burqa Debate: Is US really a champion of Women rights?

In a sign that the Taliban regime was increasingly moving towards re-establishing a strict religious regime, women in Afghanistan were ordered to cover their faces in public with traditional burqa.

The decree came from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The decree saif that if women had no important work outside then it was "better they stay at home". The decree also outlined punishments for women's male guardians if they didn't comply with the dress code.

It was the latest in a slew of Taliban restrictions on women, including banning them from any government jobs, secondary education and travelling alone outside their cities, and prompted widespread international condemnation.

"So much pain &amp; grief for women of my country, my heart is exploding. So much hatred &amp; anger against Taliban, enemies of women, enforcers of gender apartheid, enemies of Afghanistan &amp; humanity. The world is a bystander to our pain, to an apartheid, to complete tyranny," tweeted Shaharzad Akbar, the former chairperson of Afghanistan's Human Rights Commission.&nbsp;

"Those women who are not too old or young must cover their face, except the eyes, as per sharia directives, in order to avoid provocation when meeting men who are not mahram (adult close male relatives)," said the decree approved by Akhundzada and released by Taliban authorities at a ceremony in Kabul.

The Taliban decree said that the best way for a woman to cover her face was to wear Chadri. It is a traditional, blue Afghan burqa that includes screen over the face.

"They should wear a chadari as it is traditional and respectful," it said.

The Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which released the new order, announced a slew of punishments if the dress code is not followed.

It said a woman's father or male guardian would be summoned and could even be imprisoned if the offence was committed repeatedly.

Women working in government institutions who did not follow the order "should be fired", the ministry added.

Government employees whose wives and daughters do not comply will also be suspended from their jobs, the decree said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

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In a sign that the Taliban regime was increasingly moving towards re-establishing a strict religious regime, women in Afghanistan were ordered to cover their faces in public with traditional burqa.

In a sign that the Taliban regime was increasingly moving towards re-establishing a strict religious regime, women in Afghanistan were ordered to cover their faces in public with traditional burqa. The decree came from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The decree saif that if women had no important work outside then it was "better they stay at home". The decree also outlined punishments for women's male guardians if they didn't comply with the dress code. It was the latest in a slew of Taliban restrictions on women, including banning them from any government jobs, secondary education and travelling alone outside their cities, and prompted widespread international condemnation. "So much pain & grief for women of my country, my heart is exploding. So much hatred & anger against Taliban, enemies of women, enforcers of gender apartheid, enemies of Afghanistan & humanity. The world is a bystander to our pain, to an apartheid, to complete tyranny," tweeted Shaharzad Akbar, the former chairperson of Afghanistan's Human Rights Commission. "Those women who are not too old or young must cover their face, except the eyes, as per sharia directives, in order to avoid provocation when meeting men who are not mahram (adult close male relatives)," said the decree approved by Akhundzada and released by Taliban authorities at a ceremony in Kabul. The Taliban decree said that the best way for a woman to cover her face was to wear Chadri. It is a traditional, blue Afghan burqa that includes screen over the face. "They should wear a chadari as it is traditional and respectful," it said. The Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which released the new order, announced a slew of punishments if the dress code is not followed. It said a woman's father or male guardian would be summoned and could even be imprisoned if the offence was committed repeatedly. Women working in government institutions who did not follow the order "should be fired", the ministry added. Government employees whose wives and daughters do not comply will also be suspended from their jobs, the decree said. (With inputs from agencies) Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Cover faces in public, Taliban order Afghan women

The resistance from the Panjshir is back to haunt the Taliban. The national resistance front led by the son of late anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud has announced a wide military offensive against the Taliban.

Panjshir valley: Taliban faces rebellion, Insurgent group launches offensive

Now, Taliban orders Afghan women to fully cover themselves in public

The Taliban has ruled that Afghan women must cover their faces and if any woman violates the order then her father or closest relative male will be either imprisoned or will be fired from their government jobs.

Afghanistan: Taliban makes covering face mandatory for women

The Taliban dictatorship in Afghanistan prevented hundreds of Shia mosques from holding Eid prayers on Tuesday.

Some Shia Muslims were also ordered to break their fast prior to the proclamation of Eid by their mosques, according to reports from the major cities of Herat and Kabul.

"#Taliban forces prohibited dozens of #Shia mosques from holding the #Eid prayer on Tuesday. Some Shia followers also reported of being forced to break their fast prior to Shia announcement of Eid. Shia activists has reported this violation of religious` rights in #Herat, #Kabul," a local journalist claimed on Twitter.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taliban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taliban</a> forces prohibited dozens of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Shia</a> mosques from holding the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eid</a> prayer on Tuesday. Some Shia followers also reported of being forced to break their fast prior to shia announcement of Eid. Shia activists has reported this violation of religious’ rights in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Herat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Herat</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a>
— Massoud Hossaini (@Massoud151) <a href="https://twitter.com/Massoud151/status/1521518448974905344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Human rights in Afghanistan have deteriorated significantly since the breakdown of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August of last year.

Despite the fact that the war in the country has finished, major human rights violations, particularly against women and minorities, continue unabated.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-rulers-fire-50-qualified-university-professors-to-replace-them-with-clerics-taliban-members-474882">Also read | Taliban fire 50 qualified university professors, to replace them with clerics &amp; own members</a> 
 
A succession of devastating bombs have plagued Afghanistan in recent weeks, primarily targeting minorities, with the most recent massive blast targeting a mosque in Kabul on Friday afternoon, killing at least 30 people and injuring many more.

The series of blasts and vulnerable security conditions, especially for the minorities has drawn worldwide condemnation, including from the United Nations (UN), the EU, US and others.

Afghanistan is also grappling with a serious humanitarian crisis as according to international assessments, Afghanistan has now the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world, with more than 23 million in need of assistance, and approximately 95 per cent of the population having insufficient food consumption.

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The Taliban dictatorship in Afghanistan prevented hundreds of Shia mosques from holding Eid prayers on Tuesday. Some Shia Muslims were also ordered to break their fast prior to the proclamation of Eid by their mosques, according to reports from the major cities of Herat and Kabul.

The Taliban dictatorship in Afghanistan prevented hundreds of Shia mosques from holding Eid prayers on Tuesday. Some Shia Muslims were also ordered to break their fast prior to the proclamation of Eid by their mosques, according to reports from the major cities of Herat and Kabul. "#Taliban forces prohibited dozens of #Shia mosques from holding the #Eid prayer on Tuesday. Some Shia followers also reported of being forced to break their fast prior to Shia announcement of Eid. Shia activists has reported this violation of religious` rights in #Herat, #Kabul," a local journalist claimed on Twitter. #Taliban forces prohibited dozens of #Shia mosques from holding the #Eid prayer on Tuesday. Some Shia followers also reported of being forced to break their fast prior to shia announcement of Eid. Shia activists has reported this violation of religious’ rights in #Herat, #Kabul — Massoud Hossaini (@Massoud151) May 3, 2022 × Human rights in Afghanistan have deteriorated significantly since the breakdown of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August of last year. Despite the fact that the war in the country has finished, major human rights violations, particularly against women and minorities, continue unabated. Also read | Taliban fire 50 qualified university professors, to replace them with clerics & own members A succession of devastating bombs have plagued Afghanistan in recent weeks, primarily targeting minorities, with the most recent massive blast targeting a mosque in Kabul on Friday afternoon, killing at least 30 people and injuring many more. The series of blasts and vulnerable security conditions, especially for the minorities has drawn worldwide condemnation, including from the United Nations (UN), the EU, US and others. Afghanistan is also grappling with a serious humanitarian crisis as according to international assessments, Afghanistan has now the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world, with more than 23 million in need of assistance, and approximately 95 per cent of the population having insufficient food consumption. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

No Eid for Shias? Taliban forces prohibit Shia mosques from holding Eid prayers: Reports

The Afghan women’s football team reunited in Melbourne to take on a local league club. How are the Afghan athletes responding to life away from home? What message did they send to the Taliban? Mariam Wardak tells you.

South Asia Diary | Afghan women's football team reunites

Amid a series of blast and economic woes, Afghanistan marked the end of the holy fasting month of Ramzan as they prepared to celebrate Eid, this is the first time in over 20 years that Afghans will celebrate their holy festival under the Taliban rule despite fears of possible explosions.

Afghans celebrate Eid under Taliban-led government

Bomb explosions aborad two passenger vans in Afghanistan carrying Shi'ite Muslims killed at least nine people on Thursday, said an official. The official was quoted by Reuters. The blasts took place in northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Just last week, a Shi'ite mosque in the city was target of attack that saw an explosion killing 11 people.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for blasts inside the vans.

"The bombs were placed inside the vans; due to those blasts nine have been killed and 13 injured," Mohammad Asif Wazeri, spokesman of Mazar-e-Sharif's commander told Reuters.

The public transport vans were operated and used by the local Shi'ite community, he added.

Islamic State often targets Shi'ite community, a minority Muslim sect in Afghanistan. Islamic State has also posed challenges for the Taliban who currently assume power in a country ravaged by war for decades.

Taliban authorities who took over after the Western pullout said earlier this week they had eliminated most of Islamic State's presence in Afghanistan. But despite the assertion, attacks against Shi'ites continue in many parts of the country.

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Last week, blasts tore through a high school in a predominantly Shi'ite Hazara area in western Kabul, killing at least six.

(With inputs from agencies)

Bomb explosions aborad two passenger vans in Afghanistan carrying Shi'ite Muslims killed at least nine people on Thursday, said an official. The official was quoted by Reuters.

Bomb explosions aborad two passenger vans in Afghanistan carrying Shi'ite Muslims killed at least nine people on Thursday, said an official. The official was quoted by Reuters. The blasts took place in northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Just last week, a Shi'ite mosque in the city was target of attack that saw an explosion killing 11 people. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for blasts inside the vans. "The bombs were placed inside the vans; due to those blasts nine have been killed and 13 injured," Mohammad Asif Wazeri, spokesman of Mazar-e-Sharif's commander told Reuters. The public transport vans were operated and used by the local Shi'ite community, he added. Islamic State often targets Shi'ite community, a minority Muslim sect in Afghanistan. Islamic State has also posed challenges for the Taliban who currently assume power in a country ravaged by war for decades. Taliban authorities who took over after the Western pullout said earlier this week they had eliminated most of Islamic State's presence in Afghanistan. But despite the assertion, attacks against Shi'ites continue in many parts of the country. WATCH WION LIVE HERE × Last week, blasts tore through a high school in a predominantly Shi'ite Hazara area in western Kabul, killing at least six. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: Blasts inside vans take 9 lives, IS claims responsibility 

As per a report by an Afghanistan daily, the country’s rulers, the Taliban, have now fired fifty qualified professors at Balkh University in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, and would be hiring people they deem fit.

Reportedly, these professors are to be replaced by members of the Taliban and clerics.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-blasts-inside-vans-take-9-lives-is-claims-responsibility-474804" hreflang="en">Afghanistan: Blasts inside vans take 9 lives, IS claims responsibility</a>

Hasht-e-Subh Daily, reports that one of the fired professors told them about the dismissal and mentioned a list of fifty staff.

Furthermore, according to the professor, they were fired due to their ethnicity. Among those dismissed are 27 Tajiks, 12 Hazaras, five Pashtuns, two Arabs, two Sadats, one Uzbek and one Bayat.

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Taliban have expelled 50 professors of Balkh University's various disciplines &amp; want to appoint religious people with Madrasa degrees to teach students. <a href="https://t.co/V7ErnmPyTH">pic.twitter.com/V7ErnmPyTH</a>
— Hizbullah Khan (@HizbkKhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/HizbkKhan/status/1519565982485917696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Three of the fired academics had doctorates, 36 master's degrees, and ten bachelor's degrees, according to sources. They were reportedly segregated by Abdullah Safi, the Taliban representative at Balkh University.

Watch |&nbsp;Explosions rock Afghanistan: Two bomb blasts aboard minibuses kill 9

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Abdullah Safi, the Taliban representative at Balkh University, is said to have separated them. As per an ANI report, Safi has already sacked eight staff from Balkh University's administrative and financial department and has appointed seven of his candidates thus far.

Sources say that Abdullah Safi has already fired eight employees of the administrative and financial department of Balkh University and has so far appointed seven of his targets.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-mosque-attack-mastermind-arrested-by-taliban-says-police-472993" hreflang="en">Afghan mosque attack 'mastermind' arrested by Taliban, says police</a>

The Taliban is retaliating against the Afghan intelligentsia, who have repeatedly attacked the Islamic Emirate administration.

According to the Afghan local media, the Taliban has also issued a decree to remove Persian from the Supreme Court bill and has removed the language from a number of other boards, including Balkh University.

(With inputs from agencies)

As per a report by an Afghanistan daily, the country’s rulers, the Taliban, have now fired fifty qualified professors at Balkh University in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, and would be hiring people they deem fit.

As per a report by an Afghanistan daily, the country’s rulers, the Taliban, have now fired fifty qualified professors at Balkh University in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, and would be hiring people they deem fit. Reportedly, these professors are to be replaced by members of the Taliban and clerics. Also read | Afghanistan: Blasts inside vans take 9 lives, IS claims responsibility Hasht-e-Subh Daily, reports that one of the fired professors told them about the dismissal and mentioned a list of fifty staff. Furthermore, according to the professor, they were fired due to their ethnicity. Among those dismissed are 27 Tajiks, 12 Hazaras, five Pashtuns, two Arabs, two Sadats, one Uzbek and one Bayat. Taliban have expelled 50 professors of Balkh University's various disciplines & want to appoint religious people with Madrasa degrees to teach students. pic.twitter.com/V7ErnmPyTH — Hizbullah Khan (@HizbkKhan) April 28, 2022 × Three of the fired academics had doctorates, 36 master's degrees, and ten bachelor's degrees, according to sources. They were reportedly segregated by Abdullah Safi, the Taliban representative at Balkh University. Watch | Explosions rock Afghanistan: Two bomb blasts aboard minibuses kill 9 Abdullah Safi, the Taliban representative at Balkh University, is said to have separated them. As per an ANI report, Safi has already sacked eight staff from Balkh University's administrative and financial department and has appointed seven of his candidates thus far. Sources say that Abdullah Safi has already fired eight employees of the administrative and financial department of Balkh University and has so far appointed seven of his targets. Also read | Afghan mosque attack 'mastermind' arrested by Taliban, says police The Taliban is retaliating against the Afghan intelligentsia, who have repeatedly attacked the Islamic Emirate administration. According to the Afghan local media, the Taliban has also issued a decree to remove Persian from the Supreme Court bill and has removed the language from a number of other boards, including Balkh University. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban fire 50 qualified university professors, to replace them with clerics & own members

The Taliban has issued a warning to Pakistan that it won't tolerate airstrikes on its soil. The warning comes amidst a raging dispute over the Durand line. Where are things headed? Is a Pakistan-Taliban clash imminent? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: 'Will not tolerate invasions', Taliban warns Pakistan

Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, unemployment and poverty have increased and ordinary Afghans have been complaining about the harsh economic environment. Prices of fuel and other items have risen even more during Ramadan. For more details, we're joined by Economist, Atiqullah Matin

WION-VOA Co-Production: Rising unemployment & poverty in Afghanistan

As many as 7 explosions ripped through Afghanistan this week. Under the Taliban, terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda are thriving. They are now developing capabilities to conduct external operations. Molly Gambhir decodes the security challenges.

Gravitas: Taliban is allowing foreign terrorists to thrive in Afghanistan

Police in Afghanistan said on Friday that the Taliban had arrested a suspected mastermind of the Afghan mosque attack. The suspect is reportedly an Islamic State (IS) militant. IS has claimed responsibility for the blast in a Shiite mosque in Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif. The blast took place on Thursday (April 21) during midday prayers. 58 people were wounded.

Balkh province's police spokesman Asif Waziri said Abdul Hamid Sangaryar was a key operative of IS.

"He was the mastermind of yesterday's attack on the mosque," Waziri told AFP.&nbsp;

The country's interior ministry also reported the arrest of Sangaryar, an Afghan national.

"He played a key role in several attacks in the past and had repeatedly managed to escape, but this time we arrested him in a special operation," Waziri said.

IS also claimed a separate bomb attack in another northern city of Kunduz on Thursday that killed four people and wounded 18 people.

Though the Taliban have assumed power in Afghanistan, the Islamic State has carried out periodic attacks and act of terrorism. Shiite Afghans have been target of the IS which considers them heretics.

The Taliban have stepped up security around mosques in Kabul after Thursday's blasts. Worshippers attending Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramzaan are being frisked by Taliban fighters before they are allowed to enter the mosques.

(With inputs from agencies)

Police in Afghanistan said on Friday that the Taliban had arrested a suspected mastermind of the Afghan mosque attack. The suspect is reportedly an Islamic State (IS) militant.

Police in Afghanistan said on Friday that the Taliban had arrested a suspected mastermind of the Afghan mosque attack. The suspect is reportedly an Islamic State (IS) militant. IS has claimed responsibility for the blast in a Shiite mosque in Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif. The blast took place on Thursday (April 21) during midday prayers. 58 people were wounded. Balkh province's police spokesman Asif Waziri said Abdul Hamid Sangaryar was a key operative of IS. "He was the mastermind of yesterday's attack on the mosque," Waziri told AFP. The country's interior ministry also reported the arrest of Sangaryar, an Afghan national. "He played a key role in several attacks in the past and had repeatedly managed to escape, but this time we arrested him in a special operation," Waziri said. IS also claimed a separate bomb attack in another northern city of Kunduz on Thursday that killed four people and wounded 18 people. Though the Taliban have assumed power in Afghanistan, the Islamic State has carried out periodic attacks and act of terrorism. Shiite Afghans have been target of the IS which considers them heretics. The Taliban have stepped up security around mosques in Kabul after Thursday's blasts. Worshippers attending Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramzaan are being frisked by Taliban fighters before they are allowed to enter the mosques. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan mosque attack 'mastermind' arrested by Taliban, says police

The Taliban on Thursday (April 21) ordered a ban against TikTok and PUBG. TikTok is the widely popular video-sharing app while PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a game. The Taliban insist that the these apps were leading Afghanistan's youth astray.

The apps "made the young generation go astray", the cabinet said in a statement, adding the telecommunications ministry had been ordered to shut them down

The apps are popular among Afghans who are now left with just a few options for entertainment ever since Taliban came to power in Afghanistan last year. The Taliban have banned music, movies and television soaps.

The regime has also directed the ministry to stop TV channels from showing "immoral material", although little is being broadcast beyond news and religious content.

When they came to power after US forces' exit in August last year, the Taliban sought to assure the world that the regime would not be as hardline as the previous one between 1996 and 2001. But the Taliban have slowly introduced suffocating restrictions on social life -- particularly for women.

Most secondary schools for girls remain shuttered, and women are barred from many government jobs and traveling abroad -- or even between cities -- unless accompanied by an adult male relative.

Out of 38 million Afghans, just over 9 million have access to internet, as per information from DataReportal, an independent data collector.

Chinese-owned TikTok has been shut down twice before in neighbouring Pakistan because of alleged "indecent" content.

During their previous regime, the Taliban's feared religious police banned recreational activities such as kite flying and pigeon racing.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Taliban on Thursday (April 21) ordered a ban against TikTok and PUBG. TikTok is the widely popular video-sharing app while PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a game.

The Taliban on Thursday (April 21) ordered a ban against TikTok and PUBG. TikTok is the widely popular video-sharing app while PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a game. The Taliban insist that the these apps were leading Afghanistan's youth astray. The apps "made the young generation go astray", the cabinet said in a statement, adding the telecommunications ministry had been ordered to shut them down The apps are popular among Afghans who are now left with just a few options for entertainment ever since Taliban came to power in Afghanistan last year. The Taliban have banned music, movies and television soaps. The regime has also directed the ministry to stop TV channels from showing "immoral material", although little is being broadcast beyond news and religious content. When they came to power after US forces' exit in August last year, the Taliban sought to assure the world that the regime would not be as hardline as the previous one between 1996 and 2001. But the Taliban have slowly introduced suffocating restrictions on social life -- particularly for women. Most secondary schools for girls remain shuttered, and women are barred from many government jobs and traveling abroad -- or even between cities -- unless accompanied by an adult male relative. Out of 38 million Afghans, just over 9 million have access to internet, as per information from DataReportal, an independent data collector. Chinese-owned TikTok has been shut down twice before in neighbouring Pakistan because of alleged "indecent" content. During their previous regime, the Taliban's feared religious police banned recreational activities such as kite flying and pigeon racing. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban ban TikTok, PUBG saying apps leading youth astray

Ever since the Taliban took control of Kabul in mid-August last year, the right to education, especially for girls, has been a major concern as the Islamic outfit has time and again flouted the basic human rights in Afghanistan.

The Taliban have issued a decree banning female students above grade six from attending their classes in schools. The girls were further told to stay home until the Islamic Emirate announces its next decision.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/significant-rise-in-cross-border-attacks-on-pakistan-afghanistan-border-471659">Pakistani military air strikes kill at least 47 people in Afghanistan</a>

The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe backlash across the world with the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union issuing a joint statement to condemn the Taliban`s decision to deny Afghan girls the opportunity to go back to schools.

The envoys and representatives of the European Union, US, and the European countries in a recent joint statement have also said that the international aid to Kabul will depend on Afghanistan`s ability to ensure access to education for girls at all levels.

Watch |&nbsp;Multiple blasts rocked a high school in Kabul

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Although the first Taliban regime [1996-2001] remained a pariah state, the international law obligations of Afghanistan were not extinguished merely on account of that fact. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, during its 20 years of existence from 2001 onwards, was the legitimate vessel for the exercise of Afghanistan`s sovereignty, assuming all attendant rights and obligations, Global Watch Analysis said in its report.

Taliban`s U-turn on girls` education is most disconcerting. The decision, sudden and unexpected even for the executing officials, suggests that it might have been the whims of hardliners that prevailed over any step that returns the country to normalcy, the report said.

The order was not accompanied by any reasoning. There is no mention of any timeline by which schools shall once again be opened for girls, according to the report.

Also read |&nbsp;Multiple blasts rock boys school in Afghan capital Kabul, at least 6 people killed, dozens hurt

The system does not provide for any judicial remedy against such a drastic and draconian move. All these factors taken together, it is evident that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan does not follow the rule of law, however conservative, Global Watch Analysis reported.

Since the Taliban took control, Afghan girls are facing restrictions on travel, work, and education, besides their deteriorating safety situation in the country.

Ever since the Taliban took control of Kabul in mid-August last year, the right to education, especially for girls, has been a major concern as the Islamic outfit has time and again flouted the basic human rights in Afghanistan.

Ever since the Taliban took control of Kabul in mid-August last year, the right to education, especially for girls, has been a major concern as the Islamic outfit has time and again flouted the basic human rights in Afghanistan. The Taliban have issued a decree banning female students above grade six from attending their classes in schools. The girls were further told to stay home until the Islamic Emirate announces its next decision. Also read | Pakistani military air strikes kill at least 47 people in Afghanistan The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe backlash across the world with the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union issuing a joint statement to condemn the Taliban`s decision to deny Afghan girls the opportunity to go back to schools. The envoys and representatives of the European Union, US, and the European countries in a recent joint statement have also said that the international aid to Kabul will depend on Afghanistan`s ability to ensure access to education for girls at all levels. Watch | Multiple blasts rocked a high school in Kabul Although the first Taliban regime [1996-2001] remained a pariah state, the international law obligations of Afghanistan were not extinguished merely on account of that fact. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, during its 20 years of existence from 2001 onwards, was the legitimate vessel for the exercise of Afghanistan`s sovereignty, assuming all attendant rights and obligations, Global Watch Analysis said in its report. Taliban`s U-turn on girls` education is most disconcerting. The decision, sudden and unexpected even for the executing officials, suggests that it might have been the whims of hardliners that prevailed over any step that returns the country to normalcy, the report said. The order was not accompanied by any reasoning. There is no mention of any timeline by which schools shall once again be opened for girls, according to the report. Also read | Multiple blasts rock boys school in Afghan capital Kabul, at least 6 people killed, dozens hurt The system does not provide for any judicial remedy against such a drastic and draconian move. All these factors taken together, it is evident that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan does not follow the rule of law, however conservative, Global Watch Analysis reported. Since the Taliban took control, Afghan girls are facing restrictions on travel, work, and education, besides their deteriorating safety situation in the country.

Taliban flouting basic human rights in Afghanistan: Report

At least three blasts have rocked a boys' school on Tuesday in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, local police said. Six people were killed and dozens injured, a local source confirmed.

Afghanistan: At least 6 killed in multiple blasts at Kabul's Dasht-e-Barchi

Multiple explosions hit Kabul: At least 6 killed in blasts

In Afghanistan, the male employees of all ministries, including the Ministry of Higher Education, are required to grow their beards by the end of Ramadan, tweeted Abdul Baqi Haqqani, who is a senior member of the Taliban.&nbsp;

Baqi Haqqani, who is the Higher Education Minister of Afghanistan, stated that the order is given by His Highness the Emir of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada.&nbsp;

As per the order mentioned in Haqqani's tweet, it is also mandatory to separate the workplaces of male and female employees.

No male employee has the right to go to the corridors of female employees and no female employee has the right to go to the men's section and work for each other, the tweet added.&nbsp;

In the same tweet thread, Abdul Baqi Haqqani further asked to "avoid and fully observe" the Islamic hijab.

He said, "Male employees grow beards and have no right to return to work bareheaded. The above provisions also apply to teachers and students of all universities in Afghanistan."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/note-taker-at-farewell-lunch-behind-former-pakistan-pm-imran-khans-foreign-conspiracy-charge-report-471687">Note-taker at farewell lunch behind former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's 'foreign conspiracy' charge: Report</a>

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د افغانستان اسلامي امارت د عالیقدر امیرالمومنین شیخ هبة الله آخندزاده حفظه الله تعالی د شفاهي حکم په اساس د لوړو زده کړو وزارت په شمول د ا.ا.ا د ټولو وزارتونو نارینه کارکوونکي مکلف دي چې د روژې تر پایه پورې ږيرې پرېږدي او خپل صورت او سیرت د نبوي سنتو مطابق جوړ کړي. 
همدارنګه د شیخ
— شیخ عبدالباقي حقاني (@AbdulBaqiHaqani) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbdulBaqiHaqani/status/1515663483588775936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india/pm-narendra-modi-asks-pakistan-pm-shehbaz-sharif-to-build-normal-neighbourly-relations-471804">PM Narendra Modi asks Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif to 'build normal neighbourly relations'</a>

Since taking over Afghanistan last year, the Taliban are trying to implement a range of policies. Earlier this month, the Taliban's supreme leader banned the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan as per an order released on April 3.&nbsp;

"As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," said an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, announced at a press conference held by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul.&nbsp;

In Afghanistan, the male employees of all ministries, including the Ministry of Higher Education, are required to grow their beards by the end of Ramadan, tweeted Abdul Baqi Haqqani, who is a senior member of the Taliban.

In Afghanistan, the male employees of all ministries, including the Ministry of Higher Education, are required to grow their beards by the end of Ramadan, tweeted Abdul Baqi Haqqani, who is a senior member of the Taliban. Baqi Haqqani, who is the Higher Education Minister of Afghanistan, stated that the order is given by His Highness the Emir of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada. As per the order mentioned in Haqqani's tweet, it is also mandatory to separate the workplaces of male and female employees. No male employee has the right to go to the corridors of female employees and no female employee has the right to go to the men's section and work for each other, the tweet added. In the same tweet thread, Abdul Baqi Haqqani further asked to "avoid and fully observe" the Islamic hijab. He said, "Male employees grow beards and have no right to return to work bareheaded. The above provisions also apply to teachers and students of all universities in Afghanistan." ALSO READ | Note-taker at farewell lunch behind former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's 'foreign conspiracy' charge: Report د افغانستان اسلامي امارت د عالیقدر امیرالمومنین شیخ هبة الله آخندزاده حفظه الله تعالی د شفاهي حکم په اساس د لوړو زده کړو وزارت په شمول د ا.ا.ا د ټولو وزارتونو نارینه کارکوونکي مکلف دي چې د روژې تر پایه پورې ږيرې پرېږدي او خپل صورت او سیرت د نبوي سنتو مطابق جوړ کړي. همدارنګه د شیخ — شیخ عبدالباقي حقاني (@AbdulBaqiHaqani) April 17, 2022 × ALSO READ | PM Narendra Modi asks Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif to 'build normal neighbourly relations' Since taking over Afghanistan last year, the Taliban are trying to implement a range of policies. Earlier this month, the Taliban's supreme leader banned the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan as per an order released on April 3. "As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," said an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, announced at a press conference held by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul.

Taliban minister says it is mandatory for male employees of all ministries to grow their beards

Taliban has summoned Pakistan's ambassador and issued a warning to Pakistan for killing civilians in the bordering areas. Officials have confirmed the strikes in Khost and Kunar provinces.

Pakistan slams cross-border terror, tensions escalate between Kabul and Islamabad

Taliban has now said that it has issued a warning to Pakistan for killing civilians in the bordering areas. Officials have confirmed the strikes in Khost and Kunar provinces.

Pakistan bombs Afghan border areas, Taliban issues warning over killing of civilians

Afghan girls were asked to leave their classes despite promises of equal education by the Taliban. How are Afghan women reacting to this broken promise? Mariam Wardak tells you.

South Asia Diary | Taliban's U-turn on female education

The Taliban commander’s sneakers had soaked through from the melting snow, but that was the least of his problems. It was avalanche season in the Salang Pass, a rugged cut of switchback roads that gash through the Hindu Kush mountains in northern Afghanistan like some man-made insult to nature, and he was determined to keep the essential trade route open during his first season as its caretaker.

The worry about traffic flow was both new and strange to the commander, Salahuddin Ayoubi, and his band of former insurgents. Over the last 20 years, the Taliban had mastered destroying Afghanistan’s roads and killing the people on them. Culverts, ditches, bridges, canal paths, dirt trails and highways: None were safe from the Taliban’s array of homemade explosives.

But that all ended half a year ago. After overthrowing the Western-backed government in August, the Taliban are now trying to save what’s left of the economic arteries they had spent so long tearing apart.

Nowhere is that more important than in the Salang Pass, where, at over 2 miles high, thousands of trucks lumber through the jagged mountains every day. It is the only viable land route to Kabul, the capital, from Afghanistan’s north and bordering countries like Uzbekistan. Everything bumps up its slopes and down its draws: fuel, flour, coal, consumer goods, livestock, people.

After decades of war, overuse and ad hoc repairs, the highway is in poor shape and prone to calamity. Navigating it demands a certain daring.

So does the upkeep.

“The fighting was easier than dealing with this,” Ayoubi, 31, said last month, before hopping in his mud-spattered white pickup truck and making his way down the road, stopping occasionally to manage clogged columns of trucks.

Accidents and breakdowns are common occurrences on the potholed and perilous journey across the pass. But the greatest fear is getting stuck in a traffic jam in one of the highway’s long, pitch-black tunnels, where the buildup of carbon monoxide can suffocate those trapped within.

The centerpiece of the highway is the Salang Tunnel. Constructed by the Soviets in the 1960s, it was once the highest tunnel in the world.

Though there are different sections, the largest part of the tunnel is more than 1 mile long and takes anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes to traverse in the best scenario. The darkness within is all-encompassing, interrupted only by flickering yellow lights that seem to hang in midair because of the smoke and dust. Ventilation systems are limited to sets of fans at either end that do little except whine above the engine noise.

In the fall of 1982 it is estimated that more than 150 people died in the tunnel from an explosion of some kind, though details of the event still remain murky. Disasters such as that, along with avalanches like those in 2010 that killed dozens, loom over the Taliban running the pass, along with the several hundred infrequently paid former government workers alongside them.

To slow the road’s further destruction, the Taliban have strictly enforced weight restrictions on the trucks navigating the pass. The move is a small but substantive one, highlighting the group’s shift from a ragtag insurgency to a government acutely aware that foreign-funded road workers and lucrative construction contracts won’t materialize anytime soon.

But that decision hasn’t been without consequences: With trucks carrying less cargo, drivers are making less money each trip. That means they are spending less in the snack shops, hotels and restaurants that dot the road along the pass, piling additional misery on those who make their living here in a country whose economy was already collapsing.

“These Taliban policies affect all of us,” said Abdullah, 44, a shopkeeper who sells dried fruit and soft drinks. He is a second-generation Salang resident, and his stonewalled home overlooks the northern approach to the pass like a lighthouse. When his children peer out the windows to watch the convoy of trucks below, they look like tiny lighthouse keepers.

“In the past truck drivers would come and order three meals; now they just order one and share it,” Abdullah said.

Ayoubi defended the Taliban’s decision to enforce weight restrictions — and to alternate northbound and southbound traffic each day to avoid clogging the tunnels — arguing that keeping the road somewhat functional was better in the long run for Salang’s economy than letting it be completely destroyed.

But the short-term consequences have been devastating for Abdul Rasul, 49, a one-eyed food vendor who has been selling kebabs for 16 years in a spot tucked away behind the rows of car washers and the twisted metal of wrecked vehicles littered along the roadside. This season he’s made about $300, down from his average of around $1,000.

“They’re making less money,” he said of his customers, “so they’re taking less kebabs.”

“It’s not like the years before,” he added.

And indeed it isn’t, with the country’s economy in a shambles and the Taliban’s forces searching in the side valleys around the pass for remnants of resistance forces.

Everything seems to be different in the Salang Pass this year, except for the pass itself.

The towering rows of mountains and the rock-strewn valleys are as they’ve always been. In the distance, truck after truck could be seeing crawling up the pass like a line of ants. Beggars and cold dogs sit at the hairpin turns, where drivers have to slow almost to a stop. The passing old Soviet trucks and Ford pickups provide a history lesson of former occupiers.

Abdul Rahim Akhgar, 54, a traffic officer in the Salang for nearly three decades, held this same job the last time the Taliban were in power in the 1990s. On a recent afternoon he stood on the roadside at the northern mouth of the pass and looked at a twisted flatbed truck that had veered off the road and slammed into the side of a house below an hour or two earlier.

The crash killed one passenger and about a dozen or so caged chickens. Akhgar reckoned that 50 people die in the pass in accidents each year. But all in all, he added, it’s better now.

“There’s no fighting,” he said as a young boy wrestled with a chicken that survived the crash. “And travelers can travel easier.”

The Taliban commander’s sneakers had soaked through from the melting snow, but that was the least of his problems. It was avalanche season in the Salang Pass, a rugged cut of switchback roads that gash through the Hindu Kush mountains in northern Afghanistan like some man-made insult to nature, and he was determined to keep the essential trade route open during his first season as its caretaker.

The Taliban commander’s sneakers had soaked through from the melting snow, but that was the least of his problems. It was avalanche season in the Salang Pass, a rugged cut of switchback roads that gash through the Hindu Kush mountains in northern Afghanistan like some man-made insult to nature, and he was determined to keep the essential trade route open during his first season as its caretaker. The worry about traffic flow was both new and strange to the commander, Salahuddin Ayoubi, and his band of former insurgents. Over the last 20 years, the Taliban had mastered destroying Afghanistan’s roads and killing the people on them. Culverts, ditches, bridges, canal paths, dirt trails and highways: None were safe from the Taliban’s array of homemade explosives. But that all ended half a year ago. After overthrowing the Western-backed government in August, the Taliban are now trying to save what’s left of the economic arteries they had spent so long tearing apart. Nowhere is that more important than in the Salang Pass, where, at over 2 miles high, thousands of trucks lumber through the jagged mountains every day. It is the only viable land route to Kabul, the capital, from Afghanistan’s north and bordering countries like Uzbekistan. Everything bumps up its slopes and down its draws: fuel, flour, coal, consumer goods, livestock, people. After decades of war, overuse and ad hoc repairs, the highway is in poor shape and prone to calamity. Navigating it demands a certain daring. So does the upkeep. “The fighting was easier than dealing with this,” Ayoubi, 31, said last month, before hopping in his mud-spattered white pickup truck and making his way down the road, stopping occasionally to manage clogged columns of trucks. Accidents and breakdowns are common occurrences on the potholed and perilous journey across the pass. But the greatest fear is getting stuck in a traffic jam in one of the highway’s long, pitch-black tunnels, where the buildup of carbon monoxide can suffocate those trapped within. The centerpiece of the highway is the Salang Tunnel. Constructed by the Soviets in the 1960s, it was once the highest tunnel in the world. Though there are different sections, the largest part of the tunnel is more than 1 mile long and takes anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes to traverse in the best scenario. The darkness within is all-encompassing, interrupted only by flickering yellow lights that seem to hang in midair because of the smoke and dust. Ventilation systems are limited to sets of fans at either end that do little except whine above the engine noise. In the fall of 1982 it is estimated that more than 150 people died in the tunnel from an explosion of some kind, though details of the event still remain murky. Disasters such as that, along with avalanches like those in 2010 that killed dozens, loom over the Taliban running the pass, along with the several hundred infrequently paid former government workers alongside them. To slow the road’s further destruction, the Taliban have strictly enforced weight restrictions on the trucks navigating the pass. The move is a small but substantive one, highlighting the group’s shift from a ragtag insurgency to a government acutely aware that foreign-funded road workers and lucrative construction contracts won’t materialize anytime soon. But that decision hasn’t been without consequences: With trucks carrying less cargo, drivers are making less money each trip. That means they are spending less in the snack shops, hotels and restaurants that dot the road along the pass, piling additional misery on those who make their living here in a country whose economy was already collapsing. “These Taliban policies affect all of us,” said Abdullah, 44, a shopkeeper who sells dried fruit and soft drinks. He is a second-generation Salang resident, and his stonewalled home overlooks the northern approach to the pass like a lighthouse. When his children peer out the windows to watch the convoy of trucks below, they look like tiny lighthouse keepers. “In the past truck drivers would come and order three meals; now they just order one and share it,” Abdullah said. Ayoubi defended the Taliban’s decision to enforce weight restrictions — and to alternate northbound and southbound traffic each day to avoid clogging the tunnels — arguing that keeping the road somewhat functional was better in the long run for Salang’s economy than letting it be completely destroyed. But the short-term consequences have been devastating for Abdul Rasul, 49, a one-eyed food vendor who has been selling kebabs for 16 years in a spot tucked away behind the rows of car washers and the twisted metal of wrecked vehicles littered along the roadside. This season he’s made about $300, down from his average of around $1,000. “They’re making less money,” he said of his customers, “so they’re taking less kebabs.” “It’s not like the years before,” he added. And indeed it isn’t, with the country’s economy in a shambles and the Taliban’s forces searching in the side valleys around the pass for remnants of resistance forces. Everything seems to be different in the Salang Pass this year, except for the pass itself. The towering rows of mountains and the rock-strewn valleys are as they’ve always been. In the distance, truck after truck could be seeing crawling up the pass like a line of ants. Beggars and cold dogs sit at the hairpin turns, where drivers have to slow almost to a stop. The passing old Soviet trucks and Ford pickups provide a history lesson of former occupiers. Abdul Rahim Akhgar, 54, a traffic officer in the Salang for nearly three decades, held this same job the last time the Taliban were in power in the 1990s. On a recent afternoon he stood on the roadside at the northern mouth of the pass and looked at a twisted flatbed truck that had veered off the road and slammed into the side of a house below an hour or two earlier. The crash killed one passenger and about a dozen or so caged chickens. Akhgar reckoned that 50 people die in the pass in accidents each year. But all in all, he added, it’s better now. “There’s no fighting,” he said as a young boy wrestled with a chicken that survived the crash. “And travelers can travel easier.”

‘Fighting was easier’: Taliban take on a treacherous, avalanche-prone pass

The Taliban administration in Afghanistan has banned the cultivation and distribution of opium along with a total ban on other intoxicants.

Taliban ban opium cultivation, distribution in Afghanistan in the latest crackdown on intoxicants

The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;announced on Sunday a&nbsp;ban&nbsp;on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer.

"As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," according to an order from the&nbsp;Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.

"If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the Sharia law," the order, announced at a news conference by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-will-recognise-taliban-regime-when-conditions-are-ripe-report-467395">China will recognise Taliban regime ‘when conditions are ripe’: Report</a>

The order said the production, use or transportation of other narcotics was also&nbsp;banned.

Drug control has been one major demand of the international community of the Islamist group, which took over the country in August and is seeking formal international recognition in order to wind back sanctions that are severely hampering&nbsp;banking, business and development.

The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;banned poppy growing towards the end of their last rule in 2000 as they sought international legitimacy, but faced a popular backlash and later mostly changed their stance, according to experts.

Afghanistan's opium production - which the United Nations estimated was worth $1.4 billion at its height in 2017 - has increased in recent months, farmers and&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;members told Reuters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/world-bank-suspends-projects-in-afghanistan-after-taliban-prohibit-girls-from-school-466909">World Bank suspends projects in Afghanistan after Taliban prohibit girls from school</a>

The country's dire economic situation has prompted residents of south-eastern provinces to grow the illicit crop that could bring them faster and higher returns than legal crops such as wheat.

Taliban&nbsp;sources told Reuters they were anticipating tough resistance from some elements within the group against the&nbsp;ban&nbsp;on poppy and that there had been a surge in the number of farmers cultivating poppy in recent months.

A farmer in Helmand who spoke on condition of anonymity said that in recent weeks prices of poppy had already more than doubled on rumours the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;would&nbsp;ban&nbsp;its cultivation. But he added that he needed to grow poppy to support his family.

"Other crops are just not profitable," he said.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Global Headlines: Taliban issue new diktat

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&nbsp;

The Taliban announced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer. "As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," according to an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.

The Taliban announced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer. "As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," according to an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. "If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the Sharia law," the order, announced at a news conference by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, said. Also read | China will recognise Taliban regime ‘when conditions are ripe’: Report The order said the production, use or transportation of other narcotics was also banned. Drug control has been one major demand of the international community of the Islamist group, which took over the country in August and is seeking formal international recognition in order to wind back sanctions that are severely hampering banking, business and development. The Taliban banned poppy growing towards the end of their last rule in 2000 as they sought international legitimacy, but faced a popular backlash and later mostly changed their stance, according to experts. Afghanistan's opium production - which the United Nations estimated was worth $1.4 billion at its height in 2017 - has increased in recent months, farmers and Taliban members told Reuters. Also read | World Bank suspends projects in Afghanistan after Taliban prohibit girls from school The country's dire economic situation has prompted residents of south-eastern provinces to grow the illicit crop that could bring them faster and higher returns than legal crops such as wheat. Taliban sources told Reuters they were anticipating tough resistance from some elements within the group against the ban on poppy and that there had been a surge in the number of farmers cultivating poppy in recent months. A farmer in Helmand who spoke on condition of anonymity said that in recent weeks prices of poppy had already more than doubled on rumours the Taliban would ban its cultivation. But he added that he needed to grow poppy to support his family. "Other crops are just not profitable," he said. Watch | Gravitas Global Headlines: Taliban issue new diktat

Taliban ban poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

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