Taliban pledge all girls in schools after late March

KABUL: Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers say they hope to be able to open all schools for girls across the country after late March, their spokesman told American news agency on Saturday, offering the first timeline for addressing a key demand of the international community.

Since the Taliban takeover in mid-August, girls in most of Afghanistan have not been allowed back to school beyond grade 7. The international community, reluctant to formally recognise a Taliban-run administration, is wary they could impose similar harsh measures as during their previous rule 20 years ago. At the time, women were banned from education, work and public life.