The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of a sharp increase in malnutrition across Afghanistan, particularly among women and children, saying that the situation is expected to worsen as winter approaches.

Several female teachers in Herat have spoken out about the Taliban’s latest restrictive measure, saying the group has now forced them to wear the chadari or burqa; a decision that many women see as a complete return to darkness and the complete exclusion of women from education..

Local sources in Herat say that the Taliban have arrested a female doctor in the province and released her several hours later.

As part of the new restrictions imposed by the Taliban in the Farsi district of Herat province, new directives have been issued for public transport drivers, requiring them to refrain from picking up women who are not wearing a chadari or burqa, even if they are accompanied by a male guardian.