Taliban tell UN women ban internal issue of Afghanistan

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Taliban on Wednesday said the ban on women working in Afghanistan was an internal issue of the country after the UN called the move unlawful.

In a statement, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the UN has suspended its activities in Afghanistan and has called Taliban responsible for all the consequences of the humanitarian situation.

"The Islamic Emirate does not want to create obstacles for the United Nations; rather, it wants to make it clear that this is an internal issue of Afghanistan, which does not create problem for anyone and should be respected by all sides," Mujahid said.

On Tuesday, the UN said it was being forced to make an "appalling choice" about its presence in Afghanistan after the Taliban banned women from working for the organization.

"The ban is unlawful under international law, including the UN Charter, and for that reason the United Nations cannot comply," the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement on Tuesday.

The UN announcement came after Taliban last week issued a countrywide ban on Afghan women working with the global body.

The action follows a long list of earlier restrictions on women and girls imposed since the Taliban took power.