Afghan women break down in tears after being barred from university by Taliban order

The security forces of the Taliban imposed on Wednesday in the capital of Afghanistan the prohibition of women to access higher education, preventing their entry to universities. Video obtained by The Associated Press shows women crying and comforting each other outside a campus in Kabul.

On the eve, the Taliban government ordered women across the country to immediately stop attending universities, both public and private, until further notice. The government has not explained the reasons for the ban or reacted to the immediate and strong international condemnation of the measure.

LOOK HERE: Armed guards prevent women from entering universities in Afghanistan

Journalists saw Taliban forces outside four universities preventing women from entering. They also tried to prevent any photos or videos of the protests taking place from being taken.

An Afghan student leaves the Mirwais Neeka Institute of Higher Education in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on December 21, 2022. (Photo by EFE/EPA/STRINGER)

Rahimullah Nadeem, a spokesman for Kabul University, confirmed that classes for women had ceased. He said that some women were allowed in to perform administrative tasks and that four graduation ceremonies were held.

Members of the group called Afghan Women’s Unity and Solidarity rallied outside Edrak University, a private institution, on Wednesday morning and chanted slogans in the Dari language.

“Don’t make education political!they cried. “Once again education for women is prohibited, we do not want to be eliminated”.

Despite the initial promise of a moderate regime and respect for the rights of women and minorities, the Taliban have applied their strict version of sharia, Islamic law.

MORE INFORMATION: Taliban ban all women from university in Afghanistan

Girls cannot attend secondary school and most jobs are closed to women, who must be covered from head to toe when in public. Gyms and parks are also off limits.

A US-led coalition ousted the Taliban in 2001 for harboring Osama bin Laden, and last year the Taliban regained power after a chaotic US withdrawal.

A letter released by Higher Education Ministry spokesman Ziaullah Hashmi orders universities to implement the ban as soon as possible and inform the ministry when they have done so.

Source: Elcomercio