Taliban official interviewed by female presenter on Afghan TV

Amid fears over women’s rights after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, an official from the group was interviewed by a female presenter on Afghan television channel Tolo News on Tuesday.

Journalist Beheshta Arghand quizzed Mawlawi Abdulhaq Hemad, a member of the Taliban’s media team, about the situation in Kabul in the studio.

The interview, a stunning sight given the Taliban’s suppression of women’s rights under their previous rule, seems to be part of the group’s attempt to appear more moderate.

“Unthinkable two decades ago when they were last in charge,” tweeted Saad Mohseni, director of Moby Group, which oversees Tolo News.