A female Afghan reporter says the Taliban refused to let her work. 'The regime has changed,' they reportedly said, 'Go home.'
- A female Afghan reporter said the Taliban refused to let her return to work.
- Shabnam Dawran, a presenter at RTA, said the Taliban told her "the regime has changed" and that she should "go home."
- The Taliban's spokesperson previously said that women would be able to work and study.
A female anchor of Kabul-based Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) said the Taliban refused to let her work.
Shabnam Dawran, a presenter at RTA, said the Taliban told her "the regime has changed" and to "Go home," according to TOLO News head Miraqa Popal.
Dawran said she was turned away despite wearing a hijab and carrying the correct identification.
RTA is a state-owned Afghan broadcaster that delivers both national and international news.
The alleged incident with the Taliban follows claims by the militant group that women would be allowed to continue to work under their new Islamist government. But the Taliban's history of oppression - coupled with recent reports of violence and retribution - has many international and Afghan groups unconvinced that the Taliban is actually moderating.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a press conference on Tuesday that women in Afghanistan would be allowed to continue work.
"We are going to allow women to work and study within our frameworks," Mujahid said. "Women are going to be very active within our society."
The Taliban rapidly overtook Afghanistan after US President Joe Biden withdrew American forces from the country nearing the 20th anniversary of the September 11 World Trade Center terrorist attacks.
The airport in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul was sent into a frenzy on Monday after thousands of Afghans rushed to the airstrip in an attempt to flee the country. The White House said Tuesday that the Taliban agreed to let civilians leave Afghanistan without incident or else would be met with "overwhelming force."
"In meetings with Taliban senior leaders in Doha on Sunday, I cautioned them against interference in our evacuation and made it clear to them that any attack would be met with overwhelming force in the defense of our forces," said Gen. Frank McKenzie, who negotiated the deal.