Women cover their faces in public

Taliban orders women in Afghanistan to cover face in public

At a press conference, the Afghanistan Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue announced that all women would have to cover their face in public.

The decree also said if women have no important work outside then they should stay at home.

Akif Muhajir, spokesman for the ministry, told the BBC the order was based on the Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

During the conference, the ministry spelled out punishments for the male guardians of the women who failed to obey the new rules.