Women training to become midwives and nurses in Afghanistan have told the BBC that they were instructed not to return to their classes in the morning, effectively cutting off their last opportunity for further education in the country.

Five separate institutions across Afghanistan have also confirmed to the BBC that the Taliban ordered them to close until further notice, with videos circulating online showing students in tears upon hearing the news.

The BBC has not yet received official confirmation of the order from the Taliban’s health ministry.

This closure appears to align with the Taliban’s broader policy on female education, which has prevented teenage girls from accessing secondary and higher education since August 2021.