United News of Bangladesh

The Taliban government on Sunday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Washington could retake Bagram Air Base, four years after America’s withdrawal handed the facility over to Taliban control. Trump recently hinted that the Taliban, facing economic woes, a lack of international recognition, internal tensions and threats from rival militant groups, might allow the U.S. military back into Afghanistan. However, Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the claim, urging the U.S. to act with “realism and rationality.” Posting on X, Mujahid said Afghanistan was pursuing an economy-driven foreign policy and sought constructive ties with all countries on the basis of mutual interests. He stressed that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity had been repeatedly emphasized in all negotiations with the U.S. Mujahid also reminded Washington of its commitment under the 2020 Doha Agreement not to use or threaten force against Afghanistan or interfere in its internal affairs. “The United States must remain faithful to its commitments,” he said. Mujahid did not respond to AP questions about whether any discussions on Bagram had taken place with the Trump administration or why Trump believed such a move was possible. In August 2024, the Taliban marked the third anniversary of their return to power with a military display at Bagram, showcasing abandoned U.S. equipment. Trump has since repeatedly criticized his predecessor Joe Biden for what he called “gross incompetence” during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal that ended America’s longest war.

The United States has agreed to a prisoner exchange following rare talks with Taliban authorities in Kabul, the group’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday. According to the ministry, Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s special envoy for hostage response, and former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. “Adam Boehler, referring to the issue of detained citizens between Afghanistan and the United States, said that both countries will exchange prisoners,” said a statement from the office of Taliban deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani Baradar. Washington has not issued an immediate comment, and Khalilzad did not respond to requests from Reuters. Among those detained is Mahmood Habibi, a naturalised US citizen and businessman who previously worked in Afghanistan’s telecommunications sector. The US has offered a $5 million reward for information on Habibi’s whereabouts, though Taliban officials deny involvement in his 2022 disappearance. The Taliban has reportedly sought the release of Muhammad Rahim, the last Afghan held at Guantanamo Bay since 2008 without charge. The deal, mediated by Qatar, was described by the Taliban as a “humanitarian” step and a “gesture of goodwill.” In January this year, the two sides also carried out a prisoner swap in which US citizens Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty were freed in exchange for Afghan national Khan Mohammad, who had been serving two life terms in the United States. Both sides have agreed to continue discussions over their nationals held in each other’s custody, the Taliban statement added. Source: Al Zazeera

The United Nations on Monday expressed deep concern over the recent arrest of Afghan women and girls by the Taliban for allegedly violating the group’s strict dress code regulations. In May 2022, the Taliban authorities issued a decree mandating that women cover their bodies fully, showing only their eyes, and recommended the wearing of the full-body burqa. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have increasingly enforced restrictions on women’s appearance and public behavior through so-called morality laws that prohibit women from revealing their faces outside the home. According to the UN mission in Afghanistan, “numerous” women and girls were arrested in Kabul between July 16 and 19 for allegedly failing to adhere to hijab rules. “These incidents serve to further isolate women and girls, contribute to a climate of fear, and erode public trust,” the mission said, without disclosing the number of arrests, the ages of those detained, or their current whereabouts. Syrian forces returning to Sweida after deadly Druze-Bedouin clashes The mission also called on the Taliban government to “rescind policies and practices” that restrict the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls, particularly the ongoing ban on female education beyond sixth grade. A Taliban representative was not immediately available for comment. In January 2024, Afghanistan’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice reported that women had been arrested in Kabul for wearing “bad hijab.” Ministry spokesman Abdul Ghafar Farooq did not clarify how many women were detained or what specifically constituted a “bad” hijab. At the time, the UN said it was investigating allegations of mistreatment and extortion related to the women’s detention and release. The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. Since then, the administration has pursued international recognition while enforcing its interpretation of Islamic law. In July, Russia became the only country to grant formal recognition to the Taliban government.

Russia has become the first nation to officially recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, drawing sharp criticism from opposition figures and rights activists. The decisin marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough for the Taliban nearly four years after they seized control of Kabul and re-established their rule. Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed hope that Russia’s decision would encourage other nations to follow suit. So far, most countries have hesitated to recognise the Taliban administration due to its strict interpretation of Sharia law and severe restrictions on women and girls. Critics, however, have strongly condemned Moscow’s recognition. Former Afghan politician Fawzia Koofi warned that normalising relations with the Taliban would not bring peace but rather embolden impunity. She further cautioned that such actions could endanger both Afghan citizens and global security. The Afghan Women's Political Participation Network echoed these concerns, saying the recognition legitimises a "regime that is authoritarian, anti-women, and systematically dismantling basic civil rights." The Taliban maintains that they respect women's rights within the framework of their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law. However, since they regained power in 2021, girls above the age of 12 have been barred from receiving an education, and women have been excluded from many professions. Additional restrictions include limiting women’s ability to travel without a male guardian and bans on women raising their voices in public. Russia launches largest air attack on Kyiv since war began Muttaqi described Russia’s move, announced on Thursday, as the beginning of "a new phase of positive relations, mutual respect, and constructive engagement," calling the decision "courageous." Russia’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, highlighted prospects for expanded economic cooperation with Afghanistan in sectors such as energy, transportation, agriculture, and infrastructure. The ministry also pledged continued support to Kabul in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking. Unlike many other countries, Russia kept its embassy in Kabul open after the Taliban took power in 2021, following the withdrawal of US and allied troops. In 2022, Russia also became the first country to sign a major economic agreement with the Taliban, involving the supply of oil, gas, and wheat to Afghanistan. Earlier this year, in April, Russia removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organisations, further paving the way for official engagement. Russian President Vladimir Putin had already referred to the Taliban as an "ally" in combating terrorism during remarks made in July last year. The relationship between the two countries, however, remains complex. The Soviet Union, led by Russia, invaded Afghanistan in 1979, leading to a devastating nine-year conflict that resulted in the deaths of approximately 15,000 Soviet troops. The Soviet-backed government installed in Kabul faced international condemnation, eventually forcing a Soviet withdrawal in 1989. In response to Russia’s latest decision, the Afghan Women's Political Participation Network recalled the Soviet invasion, saying they had not forgotten Russia’s role in Afghanistan’s destruction. The group accused Moscow of continuing its harmful interference under the guise of diplomacy. Former Afghan National Security Adviser Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta also criticised Russia's recognition, calling it "regrettable." He warned that in the absence of widespread opposition, other countries might follow Russia’s example. Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, the United Nations imposed strict sanctions on Afghanistan, including the freezing of around $9 billion in assets. The UN has condemned the Taliban’s treatment of women, labelling the restrictions as "gender apartheid," while also reporting incidents of public floggings and brutal attacks on former government officials. Despite widespread international refusal to recognise the Taliban, some countries have maintained or adjusted their relations. Germany, for example, is considering re-establishing deportations of convicted Afghan criminals. Although Germany halted deportations after the Taliban’s return to power, politician Alexander Dobrindt said Thursday that Berlin should negotiate directly with Afghan authorities to resume deportations. However, the UN Human Rights Office warned on Friday that returning individuals to Afghanistan would be inappropriate, citing ongoing human rights violations under the Taliban regime. While most countries shut their embassies in Kabul after 2021, a few—including China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan—continue to maintain formal diplomatic representation by appointing ambassadors to Afghanistan. #With Inputs from BBC

The U.S. has lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including the interior minister who also heads a powerful network blamed for bloody attacks against Afghanistan’s former Western-backed government, officials in Kabul said Sunday. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who acknowledged planning a January 2008 attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which killed six people, including U.S. citizen Thor David Hesla, no longer appears on the State Department’s Rewards for Justice website. The FBI website on Sunday still featured a wanted poster for him. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said the U.S. government had revoked the bounties placed on Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani, and Yahya Haqqani. “These three individuals are two brothers and one paternal cousin,” Qani told the Associated Press. The Haqqani network grew into one of the deadliest arms of the Taliban after the U.S.-led 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. The group employed roadside bombs, suicide bombings and other attacks, including on the Indian and U.S. embassies, the Afghan presidency, and other major targets. They also have been linked to extortion, kidnapping and other criminal activity. A Foreign Ministry official, Zakir Jalaly, said the Taliban’s release of U.S. prisoner George Glezmann on Friday and the removal of bounties showed both sides were “moving beyond the effects of the wartime phase and taking constructive steps to pave the way for progress” in bilateral relations. Japan China and South Korea discuss trilateral cooperation “The recent developments in Afghanistan-U.S. relations are a good example of the pragmatic and realistic engagement between the two governments,” said Jalaly. Another official, Shafi Azam, hailed the development as the beginning of normalization in 2025, citing the Taliban’s announcement it was in control of Afghanistan’s embassy in Norway. Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, China has been the most prominent country to accept one of their diplomats. Other countries have accepted de facto Taliban representatives, like Qatar, which has been a key mediator between the U.S. and the Taliban. U.S. envoys have also met the Taliban. The Taliban’s rule, especially bans affecting women and girls, has triggered widespread condemnation and deepened their international isolation. Haqqani has previously spoken out against the Taliban’s decision-making process, authoritarianism, and alienation of the Afghan population. His rehabilitation on the international stage is in contrast to the status of the reclusive Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who could face arrest by the International Criminal Court for his persecution of women.

Afghan cricket stars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have voiced strong opposition to the Taliban's reported decision to shut down educational institutions for women training as nurses and midwives. This move marks yet another blow to women’s rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. While girls and women have been barred from secondary and higher education, medical training had previously been an exception—until now. Pope stays as stand-in wicketkeeper for England in second cricket test against New Zealand Besides, the ban on women's participation in sports has drawn international criticism, putting Afghanistan’s ICC Full Member status under growing scrutiny. "Education holds a central place in Islamic teachings, emphasizing the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women," Rashid wrote in an Instagram story. "The Quran highlights the importance of learning and acknowledges the equal spiritual worth of both genders. "It is with deep sadness and disappointment that I reflect on the recent closures of educational and medical institutions for the sisters and mothers of Afghanistan. This decision has profoundly affected not only their future but also the broader fabric of our society. The pain and sorrow they express through social media serve as a poignant reminder of the struggles they face. "Afghanistan, our beloved homeland, stands at a critical juncture. The country desperately needs professionals in every field, especially the medical sector. The acute shortage of female doctors and nurses is particularly concerning, as it directly impacts the healthcare and dignity of women. It is essential for our sisters and mothers to have access to care provided by medical professionals who truly understand their needs. Pakistan recalls fast bowler Mohammad Abbas after 3 years for test matches in South Africa "I sincerely appeal for the reconsideration of this decision so that Afghan girls may reclaim their right to education and contribute to the nation's development. Providing education to all is not just a societal responsibility but a moral obligation deeply rooted in our faith and values." Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Nabi echoed Rashid's views: "The Taliban's decision to ban girls from studying medicine is not only heartbreaking but deeply unjust. Islam has always emphasised the importance of education for everyone, and history is full of inspiring examples of Muslim women who made vital contributions to many generations through knowledge. "I urge the Taliban to reflect on these values. Denying girls the chance to learn and serve their people is a betrayal of both their dreams and our nation's future. Let our daughters study, grow, and build a better Afghanistan for everyone. This is their right, and it is our duty to protect it." With inputs from ESPCrickinfo  

The United Nations is seeking to verify reports that Afghanistan's Taliban rulers are allowing girls of all ages to study at Islamic religious schools that are traditionally boys-only, the U.N.'s top official in the country said Wednesday. U.N. special envoy Roza Otunbayeva told the U.N. Security Council and elaborated to reporters afterward that the United Nations is receiving "more and more anecdotal evidence" that girls can study at the schools, known as madrassas. "It is not entirely clear, however, what constitutes a madrassa, if there is a standardized curriculum that allows modern education subjects, and how many girls are able to study in madrassas," she said. The Taliban have been globally condemned for banning girls and women from secondary school and university, and allowing girls to study only through the sixth grade. UN report says more than 570,000 people in Gaza are now 'starving' due to fallout from war Taliban education authorities "continue to tell us that they are working on creating conditions to allow girls to return to school. But time is passing while a generation of girls is falling behind," Otunbayeva said. She said that the Taliban Ministry of Education is reportedly undertaking an assessment of madrassas as well as a review of public school curriculum and warned that the quality of education in Afghanistan "is a growing concern." "The international community has rightly focused on the need to reverse the ban on girls' education," Otunbayeva said, "but the deteriorating quality of education and access to it is affecting boys as well." "A failure to provide a sufficiently modern curriculum with equality of access for both girls and boys will make it impossible to implement the de facto authorities' own agenda of economic self-sufficiency," she added. A Human Rights Watch report earlier this month said the Taliban's "abusive" educational policies are harming boys as well as girls. Türkiye's Erdogan, Egypt's Sisi call for efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza The departure of qualified teachers, including women, regressive curriculum changes and an increase in corporal punishment have led to greater fear of going to school and falling attendance, the report said. Because the Taliban have dismissed all female teachers from boys' schools, many boys are taught by unqualified people or sit in classrooms with no teachers at all, it said. Turning to human rights, Otunbayeva said that the key features in Afghanistan "are a record of systemic discrimination against women and girls, repression of political dissent and free speech, a lack of meaningful representation of minorities, and ongoing instances of extrajudicial killing, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and ill-treatment." The lack of progress in resolving human rights issues is a key factor behind the current impasse between the Taliban and the international community, she said. Otunbayeva said Afghanistan also faces a growing humanitarian crisis. With Afghans confronting winter weather, more people will depend on humanitarian aid, but with a drop in funding many of the needy will be more vulnerable than they were a year ago, she said. U.N. humanitarian coordinator Ramesh Rajasingham said that "humanitarian needs continue to push record levels, with more than 29 million people requiring humanitarian assistance — one million more than in January, and a 340% increase in the last five years." Between January and October, he said, the U.N. and its partners provided assistance to 26.5 million people, including 14.2 million women and girls. But as the year ends, the U.N. appeal is still seeking to close a $1.8 billion funding gap. US is engaging in high-level diplomacy to avoid vetoing a UN resolution on critical aid for Gaza Rajasingham said the humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by three earthquakes in eight days in October in the western province of Herat that affected 275,000 people and damaged 40,000 homes. A further problem is the return of more than 450,000 Afghans after Pakistan on Nov. 1 ordered "illegal foreigners" without documentation to leave, he said. More than 85% of the returnees are women and children, he said, and many have been stripped of their belongings, arrive in poor medical condition and require immediate assistance at the border as well and longer-term support.

A U.N. report on Monday strongly criticized the Taliban for carrying out public executions, lashings and stonings since seizing power in Afghanistan, and called on the country's rulers to halt such practices. In the past six months alone, 274 men, 58 women and two boys were publicly flogged in Afghanistan, according to a report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA. “Corporal punishment is a violation of the Convention against Torture and must cease,” said Fiona Frazer, the agency's human rights chief. She also called for an immediate moratorium on executions. The Taliban foreign ministry said in response that Afghanistan’s laws are determined in accordance with Islamic rules and guidelines, and that an overwhelming majority of Afghans follow those rules. “In the event of a conflict between international human rights law and Islamic law, the government is obliged to follow the Islamic law,” the ministry said in a statement. The Taliban began carrying out such punishments shortly after coming to power almost two years ago, despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during their previous stint in power in the 1990s. At the same time, they have gradually tightened restrictions on women, barring them from public spaces, such as parks and gyms, in line with their interpretation of Islamic law. The restrictions have triggered an international uproar, increasing the country’s isolation at a time when its economy has collapsed — and worsening a humanitarian crisis. Monday's report on corporal punishment documents Taliban practices both before and after their return to power in August 2021, when they seized the capital of Kabul as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew after two decades of war. The first public flogging following the Taliban takeover was reported in October 2021 in the northern Kapisa province, the report said. In that case, a woman and man convicted of adultery were publicly lashed 100 times each in the presence of religious scholars and local Taliban authorities, it said. In December 2022, Taliban authorities executed an Afghan convicted of murder, the first public execution since they took power the report said. The execution, carried out with an assault rifle by the victim’s father, took place in the western Farah province before hundreds of spectators and top Taliban officials. Zabihullah Mujahid, the top government spokesman, said the decision to carry out the punishment was “made very carefully," following approval by three of the country’s highest courts and the Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada. There has been a significant increase in the number and regularity of judicial corporal punishment since November when Mujahid repeated comments by the supreme leader about judges and their use of Islamic law in a tweet, the report said. Since that tweet, UNAMA documented at least 43 instances of public lashings involving 274 men, 58 women and two boys. A majority of punishments were related to convictions of adultery and “running away from home," the report said. Other purported offenses included theft, homosexuality, consuming alcohol, fraud and drug trafficking. In a video message, Abdul Malik Haqqani, the Taliban’s appointed deputy chief justice, said last week that the Taliban’s Supreme Court has issued 175 so-called retribution verdicts since taking power, including 79 floggings and 37 stonings. Such verdicts establish the right of a purported victim, or relative of a victim of a crime to punish or forgive the perpetrator. Haqqani said the Taliban leadership is committed to carrying out such sentences. After their initial overthrow in the U.S. invasion of 2001, the Taliban continued to carry out corporal punishment and executions in areas under their control while waging an insurgency against the U.S.-backed former Afghan government, the report said. UNAMA documented at least 182 instances when the Taliban carried out their own sentences during the height of their insurgency between 2010 and August 2021, resulting in 213 deaths and 64 injuries. Many Muslim-majority countries draw on Islamic law, but the Taliban interpretation is an outlier. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called a Taliban ban on women working an unacceptable violation of Afghan human rights. On April 5, Afghanistan's Taliban rulers informed the United Nations that Afghan women employed with the U.N. mission could no longer report for work. Aid agencies have warned that the ban on women working will impact their ability to deliver urgent humanitarian help in Afghanistan. The Taliban previously banned girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade and women from most public life and work. In December, they banned Afghan women from working at local and non-governmental groups — a measure that at the time did not extend to U.N. offices. Under the first Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001, public corporal punishment and executions were carried out by officials against individuals convicted of crimes, often in large venues such as sports stadiums and at urban intersections.

A ground assault by the Taliban killed the Islamic State militant who spearheaded the August 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that left 13 U.S. troops and about 170 Afghans dead during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Tuesday. Initially, neither the U.S. — nor apparently the Taliban — were aware that the mastermind was dead. He was killed during a series of battles early this month in southern Afghanistan between the Taliban and the Islamic State group’s affiliate, according to several officials. But in the past few days, U.S. intelligence confirmed “with high confidence” that the Islamic State leader had been killed, a senior administration official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. Over the weekend, the U.S. military began to inform the parents of the 11 Marines, the sailor and the soldier who were killed in the blast at Abbey Gate, and they shared the information in a private group messaging chat. The father of one of the Marines said the death of his son's killer brings little comfort. Also Read: UN says leaving Afghanistan would be 'heartbreaking' “Whatever happens, it’s not going to bring Taylor back and I understand that,” Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, said in a phone call with The Associated Press. “About the only thing his mom and I can do now is be an advocate for him. All we want is the truth. And we’re not getting it. That’s the frustrating part.” Hoover said he and his son’s mother, Kelly Henson, have spent the past year and a half grieving his death and praying for accountability from the Biden administration for the handling of the withdrawal. He added that the Marines provided only limited information to him and did not identify the Islamic State leader or give the circumstances of his death. U.S. officials declined to provide many details because of sensitivities in the intelligence gathering. The administration official said it was their “moral responsibility” to let the victims’ families know that the “mastermind” and “person most responsible for the airport attack” had been taken off the battlefield. The official added that intelligence officials determined that the leader had “remained a key plotter and overseer” for the group. Also Read: UN to review presence in Afghanistan following Taliban ban Several officials said the U.S. played no role in the killing and did not coordinate at all with the Taliban. The administration official called the Taliban action “significant” and said the U.S. only learned of the operation through its “over the horizon” intelligence capabilities. Hoover is among a group of 12 Gold Star families that have kept in touch since the bombing, supporting one another and sharing information through the messaging chat. The chat was created by Cheryl Rex, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, who died in the blast. Rex, who has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal, told the AP it was through the chat group that they were informed late Monday about the killing as they awaited official confirmation from U.S. military officials. The fallen service members were among those screening the thousands of Afghans frantically trying on Aug. 26, 2021, to get onto one of the crowded flights out of the country after the brutal Taliban takeover. The scene of desperation quickly turned into one of horror when a suicide bomber attacked. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Also Read: UN: 3,300 Afghan staff stay home over Taliban ban on women The blast at Abbey Gate came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the U.S. officially ended its 20-year presence. The Afghanistan-based offshoot of the Islamic State — called Islamic State-Khorasan — has up to 4,000 members and is the Taliban’s most bitter enemy and top military threat. The group has continued to carry out attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, especially against the country’s minority groups. After the Trump administration reached a 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the Biden administration followed through on that agreement in 2021, there had been hope in Washington that the Taliban’s desire for international recognition and assistance for the country’s impoverished population might moderate their behavior. But relations between the U.S. and the Taliban have deteriorated further since they imposed draconian new measures banning girls from school and excluding women from working for international aid and health agencies. However, a line of communication still exists between the two sides, led by the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Tom West. West’s contacts are primarily with Taliban officials in Kabul and not with the group’s more ideological wing based in Kandahar. The U.S. decision to withdraw all troops fueled the swift collapse of the Afghan government and military, which the U.S. had supported for nearly two decades, and the return to power of the Taliban. In the aftermath, President Joe Biden directed that a broad review examine “every aspect of this from top to bottom” and it was released earlier this month. The Biden administration in the publicly released version of the review largely laid blame on President Donald Trump for the deadly and chaotic 2021 withdrawal, which was punctuated by the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate. News of the killing came on the same day that Biden formally announced he will seek a second term as president, offering a reminder of one of the most difficult chapters of his presidency. The disastrous drawdown was, at the time, the biggest crisis that the relatively new administration had faced. It left sharp questions about Biden and his team’s competence and experience — the twin pillars central to his campaign for the White House. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday the U.S. has “made clear to the Taliban that it is their responsibility to ensure that they give no safe haven to terrorists,” whether from al-Qaida or the Islamic State. “We have made good on the President’s pledge to establish an over-the-horizon capacity to monitor potential terrorist threats, not only from in Afghanistan but elsewhere around the world where that threat has metastasized as we have done in Somalia and Syria,” Kirby said in a statement. Yet Rex said the administration has not done enough to take responsibility for what happened at Abbey Gate. "I feel like this is the administration trying to get the pressure off of them for accountability by saying that we’re holding ISIS accountable for our kids’ death,” Rex said.

Under the Taliban, the mannequins in women’s dress shops across the Afghan capital of Kabul are a haunting sight, their heads cloaked in cloth sacks or wrapped in black plastic bags. The hooded mannequins are one symbol of the Taliban’s puritanical rule over Afghanistan. But in a way, they are also a small show of resistance and creativity by Kabul’s dress merchants. Initially, the Taliban wanted the mannequins to be outright beheaded. Read more: Ex-Afghan female lawmaker, guard shot dead at home Not long after they seized power in August 2021, the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue decreed that all mannequins must be removed from shop windows or their heads taken off, according to local media. They based the order on a strict interpretation of Islamic law that forbids statues and images of the human form since they could be worshipped as idols — though it also meshes with the Taliban's campaign to force women out of the public eye. Some clothes sellers complied. But others pushed back. They complained they’d be unable to display their clothes properly or would have to damage valuable mannequins. The Taliban had to amend their order and allowed the shop owners to cover the mannequins’ heads instead. Shop owners then had to balance between obeying the Taliban and trying to attract customers. The variety of solutions they came up with are on display on Lycee Maryam Street, a middle-class commercial street lined with dress shops in a northern part of Kabul. The store windows and showrooms are lined with mannequins in evening gowns and dresses bursting with color and decoration — and all in various types of head coverings. In one shop, the mannequins’ heads were cloaked in tailored sacks made out of the same material as the traditional dresses they modeled. One, in a purple dress beaded with cowrie shells, had a matching purple hood. Another, in a red gown elaborately embroidered in gold, was almost elegant in a mask of red velvet with a gold crown on her head. “I can’t cover the mannequins’ heads with plastic or ugly things because it would make my window and shop look ugly,” said Bashir, the owner. Like other owners, he spoke to The Associated Press on condition he be identified only by his first name for fear of reprisals. Shop owners need keep things attractive — the economy has collapsed since the Taliban takeover and the ensuing cutoff of international financing, throwing almost the entire population into poverty. Elaborate dresses have always been popular in Afghanistan for weddings, which even before the Taliban were usually gender-segregated, giving women a chance to dress in their finest in the country’s conservative society. Under the Taliban, weddings are one of the few remaining opportunities for social gatherings. But with incomes so strained, they have become less elaborate. Bashir said his sales are half what they used to be. “Buying wedding, evening and traditional dresses is no longer a priority for people,” he said. “People think more about getting food and surviving.” Another shop owner, Hakim, shaped aluminum foil over his mannequins’ heads. It adds a certain flash to his merchandise, he decided. “I made an opportunity out of this threat and ban and did it so the mannequins are even more attractive than before,” he said. Not all can be so elaborate. In one shop, the mannequins in sleeveless gowns all had black plastic sacks over their heads. The owner said he couldn't afford more. Another shop owner, Aziz, said agents of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue regularly patrol shops and malls to make sure the mannequins are beheaded or covered. He was dismissive of the Taliban’s justification for the rules. “Everyone knows mannequins aren’t idols, and no one’s going to worship them. In all Muslim countries, mannequins are used to display clothes.” Read more: Australia pulls out of Afghanistan cricket series A small number of male mannequins can be seen in display windows, also with their heads covered, suggesting that the authorities are applying the ban uniformly. The Taliban initially said they would not impose the same harsh rules over society as they did during their first rule in the late 1990s. But they have progressively imposed more restrictions, particularly on women. They have banned women and girls from schooling beyond the sixth grade, barred them from most jobs and demanded they cover their faces when outside. On a recent day, a woman shopping on Lycee Maryam Street looked at the hooded mannequins. “When I see them, I feel that these mannequins are also captured and trapped, and I get a sense of fear,” said the woman, who gave only her first name, Rahima. “I feel like I see myself behind these shop windows, an Afghan woman who has been deprived of all her rights.”