KABUL. In Afghanistan, the controversial ban for girls over 12 years of singing in public was lifted after the wave of criticism on social media that hit the Ministry of Education: to the cry of #IAmMySong, many have posted messages and even videos as they sing their favorite melody.
In a statement, the ministry backtracked, arguing that the ban “does not reflect the ministry’s positions or policies”. The ban on female students singing in public had sparked fears that this was the prelude to a return of the Taliban to power. Negotiations in Doha between the militant group and the Kabul government languish as the tide of violence has resumed in recent months, targeting not only the security forces but civil society figures such as journalists, activists and politicians, including different women.
The Taliban are trying to gain ground on the ground in view of the withdrawal of the last 2,500 US troops, scheduled for May. However, the Washington Post, Joe Biden’s administration is considering postponing the disengagement from Afghanistan to give the parties more time to reach a peace agreement.