The UN rights chief has voiced grave concern at the situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban, urging them to honour commitments to respect the rights of women and girls, reports Aljazeera.
“A fundamental red line will be the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls, and respect for their rights to liberty, freedom of movement, education, self expression and employment, guided by international human rights norms,” Michelle Bachelet told a special session of the UN Human Rights Council on Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, about 16,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, according to the Pentagon, as US troops lead an increasingly desperate effort to airlift thousands more before the Taliban’s “red line” for Western forces to leave the country.
US President Joe Biden is under increasing pressure to extend an August 31 deadline to pull out American forces, with Britain expected to lobby for that at a virtual G7 summit on Tuesday.
