KABUL, 27 April 2022, (TON): UN independent experts said “United States, as well as the Islamic Emirate authorities, is contributing to the suffering of women in Afghanistan through asset freezes.”

The United Nations and foreign governments, including Washington, have condemned moves by the Islamic Emirate to backtrack on women’s rights commitments such as on girls’ education in the months following their takeover in Aug. 2021.

However, the statement by 14 UN independent rights experts also blamed the US government for making life worse for Afghan women through blocking billions of dollars of central bank assets made up in part of aid money for the country accumulated over decades.

The statement, without giving specific details said “while gender-based violence has been a long-standing and severe threat to women and girls, it has been exacerbated by the measures imposed by the US.”

A US State Department spokesperson said the statement contained serious mistakes and denied that US actions had increased hardships faced by Afghan women under Taliban rule.

The statement also said “the Islamic Emirate’s widening gender-based discrimination was responsible for reducing women’s rights.”