A businessman from the United Arab Emirates, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, has said that the Taliban has prevented 100 female students from traveling from Kabul International Airport to the UAE to pursue studies at the University of Dubai.
The students had been granted scholarships by Al Habtoor and the University of Dubai. They had been provided with university admission, accommodations, transportation, health insurance, and other comprehensive services.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Al Habtoor said that the Taliban had prevented the students from traveling “without justification” and that this was “a profound tragedy and a blow against the principles of humanity, education, equality, and justice.”
He expressed his deep disappointment and said “This has left me lost for words to describe the disappointment I currently feel.”
“Our aspirations were crushed,” he added.
A video clip shared by Al Habtoor features a female student describing how the Taliban denied them permission to fly to Dubai. She explained that upon seeing their student visas, the Taliban forbade them from traveling, even those accompanied by a mahram (male guardian).
Al Habtoor called on the Taliban and all involved parties to “quickly step in and help rescue and assist these struggling students.”
The Taliban has not yet commented on the incident.
The Taliban’s latest restriction on women’s travel is part of a series of measures that the group has taken to limit the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Since taking control of the country in August 2021, the Taliban has barred women from most areas of public life and work. They have banned girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade and prohibited women from working at local and non-governmental organizations. In April, the ban was extended to employees of the United Nations.
The group has also imposed a strict dress code on women and girls, requiring them to cover their faces and bodies in public. They have also banned women from traveling without a male guardian, known as a mahram.
Despite international condemnation and pleas, the Taliban has refused to change or reverse these policies.
