- The Taliban have told airlines in Afghanistan that women cannot fly unless a male relative accompanies them.
- The new restrictions came soon after the Taliban reversed its decision to allow girls to return to high school.
- After taking over the country in August, the Taliban vowed to protect women's rights.
The Taliban have told airlines in Afghanistan that women cannot fly unless they're accompanied by a male relative, in the latest setback to women's rights.
"No women are allowed to fly on any domestic or international flights without a male relative," read a letter from an Ariana Afghan Airlines official to his staff, per AFP. The outlet noted that Afghanistan's Kam Air had been issued the same order.
The new rule was issued last Saturday, according to anonymous sources cited by Reuters, who said that some women holding flight tickets have since been turned away at Kabul airport. Before the ruling, women in the country had been banned from traveling alone by road if going further than 45 miles.
The flight restrictions came just over a week after the Taliban reversed its decision to allow girls to return to high school. The move had sparked global anger, leading the World Bank to suspend projects worth $600 million aimed at improving education, health, and agriculture in the country.
Last weekend, the Taliban also announced that men and women could not visit parks in Kabul on the same days, per AFP.
In August, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, 20 years after being ousted by US-led forces.
When they were last in power, women were not allowed to work and were also barred from attending schools. Women also could not leave their homes without a male relative accompanying them.
The Taliban claimed they would protect women's rights this time around but have since continued to impose strict rules on women. Women who became activists, politicians, and judges in the time following the Taliban's last defeat have said they are afraid of being hunted and punished.