Former Afghan President discusses bilateral ties with Russian envoy

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 4 (ANI): Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Wednesday met Dmitry Zhirnov, Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan and discussed further strengthening ties between both countries.
Karzai said that both of them discussed the current situation and the need to strengthen bilateral ties, TOLOnews reported.
The meeting comes amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.
Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. These countries have also promised to help Ukraine with military aid to fight Russia.
Earlier, Hamid Karzai had raised concerns over the closure of schools for girls, above grade 6, by the Taliban regime, stating that the people of Afghanistan want their girls to return to schools.
"There is no way... that the country can live without our girls going to school. It can't be. The Afghan people will not allow that and I am sure the schools for girls will reopen because that is what the Afghan people want and want clearly," Karzai said as cited by Tolo News.

The Taliban has received constant backlash from other countries as well owing to its decision to shut schools for girls from grades 7 to 12 and it has been several months since Afghan girls have been barred from going to school.
Several Afghan clerics, notable politicians and members of the civil society have urged the Taliban to consider the reopening of schools for the female students and grant them access to education, reported Tolo News.
Meanwhile, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has also worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year.
Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated. (ANI)