Amid UN criticism, Taliban name new education minister

By RAHIM FAIEZ
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban have appointed a new education minister for Afghanistan, days after the United Nations called on the country’s new rulers to reopen schools for girls beyond sixth grade. The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan just over a year ago. They have restricted the rights of girls to education, despite initial promises to the contrary. The U.N. estimates that more than a million girls have been barred from attending most of middle school as well as high school over the past year. The appointment came on Tuesday. It names Habibullah Agha, the current head of Kandahar Provincial Council, as the new education minister.