The United Nations has suspended its operations at Afghanistan's Islam Qala border after Taliban restrictions barred Afghan women from working at the site.

The UN announced on Tuesday that it has paused humanitarian work at the Islam Qala crossing between Afghanistan and Iran following new Taliban-imposed restrictions.

Indrika Ratwatte, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan, told Agence France-Presse that the Taliban's decision prevents Afghan women staff from performing their duties at the border.

He said the restrictions have created“immediate operational challenges” and endangered“the lives and dignity of returning Afghan women and girls.”

Islam Qala is the main entry point for Afghan refugees repatriated from Iran, with women accounting for more than 60 percent of returnees, according to the UN.

Ratwatte emphasized that without female staff, the UN“cannot provide services to returning women and children in a manner consistent with human dignity.”

The Taliban banned Afghan women from working in NGOs in 2022 and extended the restriction to UN offices the following year, drawing global condemnation.

UN figures show that over 1.2 million Afghans have returned from Iran through Islam Qala this year, part of 2.2 million returnees from neighboring countries.

Human rights observers and aid agencies warn that continued Taliban restrictions on women's employment will further cripple Afghanistan's humanitarian response and international aid operations.

Diplomats say the latest move risks worsening Afghanistan's isolation, as the UN and donors reconsider engagement strategies amid deepening gender-based restrictions.

MENAFN05112025000228011069ID1110298415