Taliban damage Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari's statue; Afghan women stare at uncertainty; more

The Taliban have allegedly blown up the statue of Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari in Bamiyan, whom they killed back in 1995. Pictures of the now desecrated statue in Bamiyan were widely shared on social media.

The development comes after Taliban on Tuesday declared an "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join its government. In 2001, the Taliban had damaged Buddha statues in Bamiyan on the orders of its then leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, the Taliban vowed to protect women's rights "within the limits" of Islamic law. However, Afghan women remain skeptical about the sincerity of reassuring Taliban comments.