Key facts
- The ICC issued two secret arrest warrants for senior Taliban members.
- The warrants were issued in September 2025.
- Charges include crimes against humanity and gender persecution.
- The warrants cover new evidence and alleged victims.
- An estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls are denied secondary education.
- This situation persists five years after the Taliban takeover.
- UNESCO predicts a shortage of over 11,000 female teachers by 2030.
- Education bans are cited as the cause for the teacher shortage.
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued two secret arrest warrants for senior Taliban members, alleging crimes against humanity, including gender persecution. The warrants were issued confidentially in September 2025 and include new evidence and alleged victims that were not part of previous public applications. This development highlights ongoing international legal scrutiny of the Taliban's actions.
Separately, a United Nations agency reports that an estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls are currently denied access to secondary education. This figure comes five years after the Taliban's takeover of the country. The UN agency, UNESCO, further predicts a substantial shortage of over 11,000 female teachers by the year 2030, a direct consequence of the bans imposed on girls' education.