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Khalilzad: Shortage of female doctors in Afghanistan putting women’s lives at risk
Zalmay Khalilzad, former US envoy for Afghan peace, has strongly criticized the Islamic Emirate’s restrictions on women’s education, warning that the continued shortage of female medical professionals is endangering the lives of Afghan women and girls — particularly in times of crisis.
In a post on X, Khalilzad pointed to the recent earthquake in Kunar as a tragic example of the consequences of excluding women from higher education and the workforce.
“Here we clearly see the effects of the shortage of female doctors, needed to take care of the girls and women among the victims.” he wrote. “The Taliban (IEA) claim that women are safe and protected under their rule. Clearly not, if life-saving help cannot be given to them.”
Khalilzad urged the IEA leadership to rethink its ban on female higher education, calling it a policy that deprives the country of essential professionals.
“Afghanistan needs and must have educated and skilled women including medical doctors. Otherwise, even more innocent girls and women will remain at risk,” he added.
The remarks come amid growing concern over the humanitarian impact of IEA policies that bar girls from attending high schools and universities. Health experts and aid workers have repeatedly warned that the absence of trained female healthcare providers makes it difficult — and often impossible — for women to access essential medical services, especially in rural areas where gender norms limit interaction with male doctors.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are among the primary concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Speaking in Moscow during a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central” to the organization’s agenda.
“The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan,” he said.
He praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security, noting that his experience could enhance coordination and increase the effectiveness of allied actions.
Similar to NATO, the CSTO considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all.
Countries in the region have always expressed concern about security threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed these concerns and assured that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against another country.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan has announced that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved the establishment of a faculty dedicated to “Prophetic Medicine.”
According to the ministry, this new faculty will play a vital role in advancing medical sciences and training skilled healthcare professionals across the country.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, has announced that the long-delayed demarcation and renovation of border markers along the Afghanistan–Iran frontier will officially begin in the near future.
According to a statement from the ministry, Noori made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, Ali-Reza Bikdeli.
He assured the Iranian side that the Islamic Emirate is fully committed to accelerating the process and resolving any challenges that may arise during implementation.
In a separate statement, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul said Bikdeli underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation on border issues, describing it as a key factor in strengthening and expanding overall relations between the two countries.
Officials from both sides agreed nearly three months ago to resume the border-marker renovation project, which had remained stalled for the past seven years.
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