Taliban officials blocked 100 female students from leaving Afghanistan at Kabul airport as they were due to board a flight to the United Arab Emirates.
The students were flying to the UAE for education scholarships with the University of Dubai with the financial backing of UAE-based businessman Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor.
Mr Al-Habtoor posted a recording of himself on the media platform X, formerly Twitter, expressing his disappointment over the “Taliban’s interference.” He said the prevention of travel was unjustified by Taliban authorities and that his and his team’s aspirations for these students had been crushed.
“We’ve been eagerly anticipating this day for a while; after months of unceasing efforts among Al Habtoor Group’s team members and I to secure university admissions, accommodations, transportation, health insurance, and an array of comprehensive services aimed at ensuring the utmost comfort and safety for the female students,” he wrote in the post.
In the recording, he said it’s a deep tragedy and a blow against the principles of humanity, education, equality, and justice, adding he was lost for words to describe the sense of despair he felt.
Mr Al-Habtoor called on human rights organizations and the international community to act quickly and help protect female student girls who are fighting for their rights.
Girls and women under the Taliban’s de facto government in Afghanistan are denied any education above grade six and are deprived of most freedom of movement.
