‘Taliban investigating death threats against UN Afghan female staff’

Islamabad: The Taliban are investigating explicit death threats against dozens of Afghan women working for the United Nations, according to a report published Sunday.

In its latest update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, the UN mission to the country said that dozens of female national staff were subjected to explicit death threats in May.

The threats come against a backdrop of severe restrictions placed on women since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.

The UN report said the threats came from unidentified individuals related to their work with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), other agencies, funds, and programmes, “requiring the UN to implement interim measures to protect their safety”.

It said the Taliban told the UN mission that their personnel were not responsible for the threats. An Interior Ministry investigation is underway, the report added.

The Interior Ministry spokesman, Abdul Mateen Qani, said no such threats had been made.

“This is completely incorrect,” Qani said. “The ministry has an independent department for this, and we have a strategic plan for protection and security so there is no threat to them in any area, nor can anyone threaten them, nor is there any threat to them.”

Qani did not answer questions about an

investigation. agencies