Foreign countries greeted the makeup of the new government in Afghanistan with caution and dismay on Wednesday after the Taliban appointed hardline veteran figures to top positions, including several with a US bounty on their heads.
In Kabul, dozens of women took to the streets again to demand representation in the new administration and for their rights to be protected. The Taliban's announcement of a new government on Tuesday was widely seen as a signal they were not looking to broaden their base and present a more tolerant face to the world.
Saudi Arabia expressed hope the new government would help Afghanistan achieve"security and stability, rejecting violence and extremism." Alison Davidian, deputy head of UN Women in Afghanistan, said some women were being prevented from leaving home without a male relative or were forced to stop work. The activity"has generated incredible fear. And this fear is palpable across the country," Davidian, speaking from Kabul, told reporters in New York.