A handful female students were among 200 Afghan students who graduated from a private university in southern Afghanistan, in a ceremony watched on by the Taliban.
The ceremony saw 13 young women graduate from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the private Mirwais Neeka University in the city of Kandahar.
Since seizing power in August, the Taliban have been under international political pressure to allow girls and women to go back to school and university.
But the Islamist rulers have only allowed women at private universities and girls in primary school to continue their education, while those at public universities and high schools have been left without.
A handful female students were among 200 Afghan students who graduated from a private university in southern Afghanistan, in a ceremony watched on by the Taliban
The ceremony saw 13 young women graduate from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the private Mirwais Neeka University in the city of Kandahar
Afghan Students pose for a photographer after graduating ceremony in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Saturday
Since seizing power in August, the Taliban have been under international political pressure to allow girls and women to go back to school and university. Pictured: Students graduate from university on Saturday
The ceremony on Saturday saw the graduates wear traditional dress in black and yellow colours. The women were seen wearing Islamist head dresses such as the niqab.
'In teaching and in the medical sector, there is a need for women,' Sharifa, a newly graduated student, told Tolo News.
'If the Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] doesn't provide job opportunities for these educatied people, they will not only be unemployed here, but also they will go to other countries and will have to leave Afghanistan,' said graduate Nasratullah Omari.
Public universities have been closed since the beginning of the Taliban regime, leaving thousands of students without further education.
The first time they were in power, from 1996 to 2001, the hard-line Taliban barred all women and girls from school and work.
The growth in girls' school attendance and women in the work force was considered one of the main achievements of the past 20 years under the U.S.-backed government.
Since the Taliban ousted that government on August 15, the international community has refused to recognize the Taliban government until it meets a list of
