Taliban reject court move to arrest top officials for persecuting Afghan women and girls

The Taliban is rejecting a court move to arrest their leaders for persecuting Afghan women and girls. The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan announced Thursday he had requested arrest warrants for two top Taliban officials, including the leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Since they took back control of the country in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from jobs, most public spaces and education beyond sixth grade. Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry Friday accused the court of misbehavior and making baseless accusations. Also Friday, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said it was a “tragedy and travesty” that girls remain deprived of education.