On Thursday, Unicef claimed that the Taliban may have barred international NGOs from educating 500,000 Afghan children out of school.

The UN agency requested more information on reports that the administration did not want foreign organisations directly involved in education.

Since assuming power nearly two years ago, Taliban authorities have barred girls and women from secondary and university education.

“Unicef is deeply concerned about reports that more than half a million children, including more than 300,000 girls, could lose access to Community-Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer permitted to operate,” the agency said in a statement.

The CIA was “seeking to better comprehend the reported directive,” which Taliban commanders have not commented on.