Australia on Saturday imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on four officials in Afghanistan's Taliban government over what it said was a deteriorating human rights situation in the country, especially for women and girls.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the officials were involved "in the oppression of women and girls and in undermining good governance or the rule of law" in the Taliban-run country.

Australia was one of several nations which in August 2021 pulled troops out of Afghanistan, after being part of a NATO-led international force that trained Afghan security forces and fought the Taliban for two decades after Western-backed forces ousted the Islamist militants from power.

The Taliban, since regaining power in Afghanistan, has been criticised for deeply rest

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