The Afghan Taliban government stated that "the ban on Afghan women working at the United Nations is an internal matter," after the international organization expressed concern over the decision and announced it would review its operations there.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said on Wednesday that "all parties should respect this," marking the first official statement from the Taliban regarding the move since the UN acknowledged the new restrictions last week.
In a statement, Mujahid blamed foreign governments for the humanitarian crisis exacerbated by sanctions on the country's banking sector and the freezing of Afghan central bank assets held abroad, some of which have been placed in a trust fund in Switzerland.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that "less than 5% of the funds needed for a massive financing plan for Afghanistan in 2023 have been provided," adding that "if funding is not secured urgently, millions of Afghans will face the threat of famine, disease, and death."
