RASC News Agency: The UK’s Deputy Foreign Minister announced that the government would hold the Taliban accountable for their stance on women’s and girls’ rights, counterterrorism measures, human rights violations, and ongoing access to humanitarian aid across Afghanistan. In a statement released today Thursday, October 31, the UK’s Foreign Office reaffirmed its unequivocal condemnation of the Taliban’s oppressive policies. The Foreign Office noted that, along with its international allies, the UK maintains cautious, pragmatic engagement with the Taliban when it serves national interests, clarifying that this interaction does not equate to legitimizing the Taliban’s actions.
The statement described the exclusion of women from public life as yet another “tragic blow” to Afghanistan and its citizens, underscoring the UK’s resolve to demand accountability from the Taliban leadership. Condemning the ban on girls’ education as a “heartbreaking regression,” the Foreign Office pledged the UK’s commitment to upholding Afghanistani women’s right to education. The UK also affirmed its active collaboration with the global community to ensure enduring support for basic services across Afghanistan, focusing on healthcare, education, and livelihoods. In the past two years, UK bilateral assistance has reportedly facilitated educational access for over 83,000 Afghanistani children, including 54,000 girls.
Further denouncing the Taliban’s “Promotion of Virtue” decree as a “disturbing regression,” the Foreign Office emphasized its commitment to maintaining pressure on the Taliban regime. According to the UK government, Afghanistan’s stability remains critical amid rising threats of terrorism, illegal migration, humanitarian crises, food insecurity, and deteriorating human rights particularly for women and girls underscoring the UK’s strategic priority in addressing these issues.
