According to two documents from the Taliban ministry of education, obtained by The Associated Press, the decision applies to 31 out of Afghanistan's 34 provinces where the winter school break starts in late December.

Ehsanullah Kitab, head of the Kabul education department, said the exams would take place on Wednesday. He provided no other details, and it was not clear how many teenage girls would be able to take the exam.

Read More

"Everyone criticized us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments," Turabi said in Kabul during an interview, which was published Thursday by the Associated Press. "No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam, and we will make our laws on the Quran."

Under the Taliban's previous rule of Afghanistan, Turabi served as justice minister and head of the so-called Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, a position the Associated Press stated was "the religious police."

Read More

Thousands of Afghans have entered Pakistan via the Chaman border crossing, one of the most active trade and travel routes between the countries, according to media reports.

However, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad claimed Aug 18 there were no refugees entering the country, nor has Pakistan made preparation for Afghans seeking refuge.

Amjad Gulzar, executive director of Caritas Pakistan, told ucanews.com more than 200 families have already arrived in urban areas of Quetta.

Caritas Pakistan staffers in Quetta and Islamabad-Rawalpindi "have positioned themselves so that we can respond to the emerging humanitarian crisis," he said.

Read More

The Jesuits have also suspended their mission in the country "indefinitely."

In an Aug 15 statement Caritas said the "instability of the situation has led to the suspension of all activities". It has also increased fears "of maintaining a presence in the future, as well as for the safety of the few Christian Afghans" in the country.

A Jesuit priest in New Delhi told ucanews.com that two Jesuit priests are among many Indian nationals in Afghanistan waiting for their government's evacuation flights.

The Jesuit priests "are safe and are ready to fly to India" when flights resume, the unnamed priest said.

Caritas Italy, has been present in the country since 1990, said that it ran several programs in Afghanistan. The programs provided "emergency aid, rehabilitation and development."

It also oversaw "the construction of four schools" in the central Ghor Province and 100 shelters for 483 refugee families in the Panjshir Valley, located 93 miles north of Kabul.

Before the Taliban's takeover, the Catholic charitable organization was focused mainly on helping "vulnerable minors."

However, the withdrawal of US forces has left the country "in a tragic abyss" after 20 years. There has been "incalculable human costs and billions of euros in expenditures," it said.

"As always, it will be the weakest who pay the highest price," Caritas said.

"Already tens of thousands of people are fleeing from combat zones while the Taliban are now in the capital, Kabul. Along with embassy personnel, even the very few priests, religious men and women who are in Kabul are preparing for their forced return."

Nevertheless, despite the challenges, Caritas said its office in Pakistan will oversee the arrival of "a growing number of refugees fleeing the war zone," which will increase pressure in surrounding countries.

A group of Catholic nuns in Kabul are safe, the president of a children's charity said Tuesday.

Fr Matteo Sanavio told CNA , "we are in constant contact with the sisters present there, and we pray for them. They are fine and that all channels have been activated so that they are safe."

The president of the association For the Children of Kabul asked people to pray "so that all Christians present in Kabul may find salvation and, together with them, the poor and tortured Afghan people will soon be able to have a future of peace."

Sources

Crux

Catholic News Agency