During their 1996-2001 rule, also guided by Islamic sharia law, the Taliban stopped women from working and meted out punishments including public stoning. The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold a special session in Geneva next week to address "serious human rights concerns" after the Taliban takeover, a UN statement said. Within Afghanistan, women expressed scepticism. US military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians restarted after having been suspended on Monday due to chaos at Kabul airport. Asked how Washington would hold the Taliban to their pledge to respect women's rights, Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, signalled that options included sanctions and marshalling international condemnation and isolation.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 17, 2021 23:03 UTC