Taliban: Women can study in gender-segregated universities

By KATHY GANNON
Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The higher education minister in the new Taliban government says women can study in universities, including at post-graduate levels, but that classrooms will be gender-segregated and that Islamic dress is compulsory. The minister, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, laid out the new policies at a news conference Sunday, several days after Afghanistan’s new rulers formed an all-male, all-Taliban government. Haqqani said female university students would be required to wear a hijab. He did not elaborate on whether this only meant a compulsory headscarf or also mandatory face coverings. The announcement came as a diplomatic delegation from Qatar arrived in the Afghan capital — the highest level delegation to visit since the Taliban announced their interim Cabinet.