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UNITED NATIONS — <\/span>Afghanistan\u2019s Taliban rulers have detained two Afghan members of the U.N. political mission in the country, the United Nations said Wednesday,<\/p>\n The Taliban\u2019s General Directorate of Intelligence detained the two staffers in the western city of Herat on Sunday, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told U.N. reporters. He said the U.N. mission has not been informed of the charges against the two men or been able to visit them.<\/p>\n The mission has called on the Taliban “to ensure compliance with the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its officials,\u201d Haq said.<\/p>\n The Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, 2021, as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war.<\/p>\n Shortly after, it barred girls from secondary schools and later extended the restrictions to higher education, employment and other sectors, effectively excluding women and girls from public life<\/a>.<\/p>\n The U.N. mission’s mandate from the U.N. Security Council includes promoting and supporting humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, promoting human rights, equality for women and girls, inclusive governance and economic stability.<\/p>\n The two men were detained as a humanitarian crisis<\/a> in the poverty-stricken Asian nation is worsening and as Taliban forces are engaged in cross-border fighting with Pakistani forces.<\/a> Clashes escalated sharply in February when Afghan forces launched a raid into Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Islamabad later declared it was in \u201copen war.\u201d<\/p>\n Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said their detention \u201cseriously threatens the U.N.\u2019s work throughout Afghanistan and its ability to deliver lifesaving aid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTaliban authorities should immediately release those held and ensure all aid agencies can work without intimidation or interference,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n