The Taliban’s ban on women’s studies has been feared since the group came to power last year.
Afghan Taliban forces prevented women from entering university campuses on Wednesday, news agencies say. The incident follows the Taliban regime’s announcement on Tuesday that it plans to close higher education institutions to women for the time being.
Read also: The Taliban movement closes universities to women – in the future, girls will only be able to go to primary school, if at all
Student at Kabul University Maryam tells the news agency Reuters how he was confronted by Taliban forces when he arrived at the university.
– The Taliban behaved very badly and told us to return to our homes, because girls no longer have the right to study.
– I was really disappointed when I heard the news in the morning. I was worried and thought that we have no future and no right to study, says Maryam.
Another student interviewed by Reuters Sahara said he had come to register at the university, but was stopped at the gates by Taliban forces.
– I can’t describe my feelings. No one can understand me, says Sahar.
The Taliban has not given a reason for its policy on Tuesday, but it has been feared since the Taliban came to power last year. The decision has been widely condemned, and for example the UN has demanded that the Taliban cancel the ban.
The UN stated in November that the treatment of women and girls under the Taliban regime may have been a crime against humanity. The organization has demanded an investigation under international law into the actions of the Taliban.
Sources: Reuters, AP
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