Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Patrick Wintour diplomatic editor

Taliban reversal on girls’ education derails US plan for diplomatic recognition

Afghan women and girls take part in a protest in front of the ministry of education in Kabul, on Saturday, demanding that high schools be reopened for girls.
Afghan women and girls take part in a protest in front of the ministry of education in Kabul, on Saturday, demanding that high schools be reopened for girls. Photograph: Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP/Getty Images

The US was poised to set the Taliban on the path to diplomatic recognition before the plan was derailed by the Afghan rulers’ sudden U-turn on a promise to allow girls’ education, the Guardian understands.

The group prompted international outrage and confusion on Wednesday when it reneged on a deal to allow teenage girls to go to secondary school, just a week after the education ministry announced that schools would open for all students.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.