Afghanistan’s Chargé d’Affaires to Saudi Arabia, Abdul Fattah Mawlawi Sakhi, met with Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in Riyadh to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

The meeting was held on Sunday at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat in the Saudi capital.

According to a statement from the GCC, the two sides reviewed relations between Afghanistan and the Gulf bloc and discussed a number of topics.

They also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments, although no further details were provided on the topics discussed.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed concern over reports that several women in Herat province have been detained for allegedly failing to comply with dress requirements, warning that the incidents raise serious human rights concerns.

In a statement issued on Sunday, UNAMA said it had received reports of multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat linked to alleged violations of dress regulations and was closely monitoring the situation.

“UNAMA is concerned over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat for alleged non-compliance with dress requirements, which raises serious human rights concerns,” the mission said.

The UN mission reiterated that freedom of movement is a fundamental right and stressed that both women and men are entitled to equal protection under the law.

The statement comes as the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan continue to be a key issue in discussions between the Islamic Emirate and the international community. International organizations have repeatedly called for the protection of fundamental rights, while the Islamic Emirate maintains that women’s rights are safeguarded in accordance with Sharia law.

Authorities have not yet publicly responded to UNAMA’s statement.

Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, has emphasized the importance of religious education, saying that the implementation of Sharia and the reform of society are only possible through the revival and strengthening of Islamic sciences.

The remarks came during a meeting with administrators of jihadist religious schools, teachers, officials responsible for reviewing religious publications, orphanage administrators and a number of religious scholars, according to a statement released by the Islamic Emirate.

Akhundzada described religious scholars as the heirs of the prophets and said they carry the responsibility of preserving the faith, guiding society and raising public awareness. He urged scholars to play a greater role in educating people and promoting Islamic values through teaching, preaching and religious outreach.

He also called on officials and educators to focus on the intellectual and moral development of students, strengthen their religious knowledge and beliefs, and encourage study and learning within religious institutions.

In his address, the Islamic Emirate leader further urged officials to remain vigilant in administrative, political, economic and military affairs, warning against negligence and stressing the need for stronger cooperation and mutual trust among state institutions.