4 NGOs suspend work in Afghanistan after Taliban bar women

RIAZAT BUTT

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Four major international aid groups say they will suspend their operations in Afghanistan following a decision by the country’s Taliban rulers to ban women from working at non-governmental organizations. The announcements Sunday followed in quick succession from Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE. The groups said they cannot effectively reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without their female staff. Later in the day the International Rescue Committee said it would also suspend work. The NGO ban was introduced Saturday, allegedly because women weren’t wearing the Islamic headscarf correctly. Aid groups say over half of Afghanistan’s population or 24 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.