The United Nations has called on the Taliban to lift new restrictions barring women employed by the organization from entering its offices across the country, warning that critical aid efforts are at risk.
On Sept. 7, Taliban security forces blocked national female staff and contractors from accessing UN compounds in Kabul, according to a UN statement issued Thursday, Sept. 11. The ban has since been extended to field offices nationwide, with armed personnel stationed at entrances in Kabul, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif to enforce the order.
