KABUL: Afghan women working for the United Nations in Kabul have been threatened by unidentified men because of their jobs, the organization and several women told AFP on Thursday.

Multiple women working for various UN agencies told AFP on condition of anonymity they had been threatened on the street and over the phone by men warning them to 鈥渟tay home.鈥�

UN staffer Huda 鈥� not her real name 鈥� said that for weeks she has been bombarded with messages abusing her for 鈥渨orking with foreigners.鈥�

鈥淭he messages keep coming and they are always harassing us... saying, 鈥楧on鈥檛 let me see you again, or else鈥�,鈥� the young woman told AFP.

She said her office had advised her to work from home until further notice.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that UN staff had been threatened.

鈥淪everal United Nations female national staff members in the Afghan capital Kabul have been subjected to threats by unidentified individuals related to their work with the UN,鈥� it said in a statement.

Considering the threats 鈥渆xtremely serious,鈥� the UN has taken 鈥渋nterim鈥� measures 鈥渢o ensure the safety and security of staff members,鈥� it added.

The Taliban government, accused by the UN of imposing a 鈥済ender apartheid鈥� against women since returning to power in 2021, has denied any involvement.

Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said such threats were a 鈥渃rime鈥� and that police would take action.

UNAMA said the authorities had opened an investigation.

Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban authorities have severely restricted Afghan women from working and it is the only country in the world where women are banned from education beyond primary school.

The government in 2022 banned women from working for domestic and international NGOs, which was extended to include the UN鈥檚 offices in the country the following year.

The policy has some exceptions including for women working in health care and education, and has not been consistently enforced.

The UN has previously called the policy 鈥渄eeply discriminatory.鈥�

Selsela, in her 30s, said while returning from the office last week she was approached by unknown men who told her she should be 鈥渁shamed鈥� and that she must 鈥渟tay home.鈥�

鈥淭hey said, 鈥榃e told you nicely this time, but next time you鈥檒l have another thing coming鈥�,鈥� she told AFP.

鈥淚 was very scared,鈥� she said, explaining how she struggles to work efficiently from home in a country where electricity and Internet are unreliable.

鈥淭he situation for women is getting worse every day.鈥�

Another woman, Rahila, said she and two other women colleagues were stopped by men while traveling home in a UN vehicle and told not to go to the office anymore.

鈥淭hey said, 鈥楧on鈥檛 you know that you are not allowed?鈥�,鈥� Rahila said, adding that she has also received threatening messages from unknown numbers.

鈥淚 am very worried, I need my job and my salary,鈥� she said.

Three-quarters of Afghanistan鈥檚 population of some 45 million people struggle to meet their daily needs, according to the UN, with the country facing one of the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crises.