Washington

The United States has cancelled its planned meetings with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, and sees its refusal to allow girls to return to schools as a potential turning point in engagement with the group, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said on Friday.

The planned talks with the Taliban were set to address key economic issues. "On cancelled meetings in Doha. That's correct. We have cancelled some of our engagements, including planned meetings in Doha and around the Doha forum and made clear that we see this decision as a potential turning point in our engagement," Porter said during a press briefing, reported Sputnik.

As the new school year begins in Afghanistan, the Taliban has announced that the boys can continue their education, but girls beyond sixth grade will not be allowed.

Dozens of students have rallied in Kabul on Friday to protest the Taliban's decision to block girls' schools. A number of protestors chanted slogans against the Taliban. One of the slogans said, "No religion has blocked education and the ban on educating girls is blatant gender discrimination."

Condemning the Taliban's decision not to reopen secondary schools to Afghan girls, the United States and its allies have called on the group to revoke its decision. A joint statement issued by Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union has condemned the Taliban's decision on Wednesday to deny so many Afghan girls the opportunity to finally go back to school.