Taliban claims US 'biggest impediment' to its int'l recognition

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 20 : Taliban in Afghanistan claimed that the US is preventing the group's new government from receiving international recognition, a local media reported.
Nearly after 20 years, the US-led foreign military left the war-torn country and then the Taliban took control over Afghanistan on August 15, last year and formed a male-dominant interim government, Khaama Press reported.
Responding to a question over the delay in gaining legitimacy, senior Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid replied, "In terms of foreign country recognition, I believe the United States is the biggest hurdle."
The spokesperson further said that the Taliban had met "all the prerequisites" for foreign recognition of their administration.
Mujahid claimed that all the countries including the US must recognise that engaging in political dialogue with the Taliban is in "everyone's interest." It would allow the international community to formally discuss "their grievances" with the Taliban.
"It [America] does not allow other countries to move in this direction and has itself not taken any step on this count either," he added.
No government has recognized the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan since they took control of the country, owing to the Taliban's severe treatment of Afghan women and girls, reported Khaama Press.
Since the Taliban came into Afghanistan, the status of women had deteriorated. Recently the Taliban forces in Herat province warned the shopkeepers not to allow women in their shops without a male guardian.
Taking to Twitter, local media said, " The #Taliban in #Herat province have warned shopkeepers not to allow women into their shops without Muharram (male guardian), and the group has expelled women who were shopping alone, sources said. The Taliban have called for this action to prevent "sin and immoral cases."
Taliban imposed a number of restrictions on women and girls after taking power last year in Afghanistan.
Earlier, in May, the Taliban-led government issued a decree making the hijab compulsory for women when being in public.
Women working in government agencies who break this rule will be dismissed, and the same measure will be applied to men if their wives or daughters do not follow the dress code.
In another clampdown on Afghan women, the Taliban have ordered girl students at the Herat University not to wear make-up and short clothes.
The group has also restricted the women from recording the voices of male professors who are "non-mahrams", that is, the person who is not in your relationship, reported Afghanistan-based media outlet, Payk Media.
The Taliban didn't stop there. In the month of March, the Taliban issued a decree banning female students above grade six from participating in their classes.