The Taliban refused to allow eight women to leave the country on Friday, October 7, because they did not have male chaperone, sources tell Zan Times in Kabul.
One of the women, who does not want to be named, explained what happened to Zan Times: “On October 7, the Taliban prevented eight women who wanted to travel abroad to continue their education or to visit their relatives, from boarding their flight because they did not have a maharam [male chaperone].”
The women had visas and plane tickets to travel to Mashhad, Iran on the 9:30 a.m. flight on Friday.
Another of these women, who spoke to Zan Times using the pseudonym of Sarah, says, “I am a student. I wanted to go abroad to continue my studies. I prepared my travel documents with great hope, but they did not allow us to fly.”
She says that the eight included three students and a woman whose wedding was supposed to be held in Iran on October 9.
According to her, the Taliban interrogated them for hours.
In March, the Taliban announced a ban on women travelling without a male chaperone. In August, the Taliban prevented 80 female students at the American University of Afghanistan from leaving the country from the Kabul airport.
