Local sources in Herat province told Afghanistan International that United Nations offices and several domestic and international aid organisations have suspended their operations at the Islam Qala border since Tuesday.
The suspension is reportedly in protest against new Taliban restrictions on female employees.
According to the sources, the suspension followed a directive from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which imposed new limitations on women’s employment in the border region of Islam Qala, along the Iranian frontier.
At least four credible sources said that last Thursday, Taliban enforcers from the ministry visited aid agencies in Islam Qala and announced that women were no longer permitted to work in the health sector or with any charity or humanitarian organisation. Officials reportedly warned that even in health services, women could only work if fully covered, including burqa, mask, and gloves.
On Saturday, another group of Taliban officers returned and issued a new order allowing only one or two female doctors to continue working, while all other female employees including vaccinators, health trainers, and humanitarian staff were told to leave their workplaces immediately.
Sources said that a meeting was later held between representatives of the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, the Vice and Virtue Ministry, and international organisations. During the meeting, it was decided that only four women would be allowed to continue working in health services across all Islam Qala border camps.
UN and aid agency representatives reportedly warned that if the restrictions persisted, they would halt their operations entirely. Following these objections, humanitarian aid and assistance programmes in Islam Qala have been suspended until further notice.
The development comes as hundreds of Afghan returnees from Iran continue to cross daily into Afghanistan through the Islam Qala border.
