The Prime Minister’s High Representative for Afghan Transition, Sir Simon Gass, and Charge d'Affaires of the UK Mission to Afghanistan in Doha, Dr Martin Longden, have met high-up Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

       They have met senior Taliban officials, including Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund.

       According to a government spokesman, “Sir Simon and Dr Longden discussed how the UK could help Afghanistan to address the humanitarian crisis, the importance of preventing the country from becoming an incubator for terrorism, and the need for continued safe passage for those who want to leave the country.”

       Also on the agenda was “the treatment of minorities and the rights of women and girls.”

       The government spokesman added that the UK “continues to do all it can to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave, and is committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan."

       The senior UK diplomats have raised concerns about the return of terrorism to the country.

       It is hoped that an ongoing dialogue will prevent Afghanistan from becoming an “incubator for terrorism.”

       This is the first meeting of UK officials with the Taliban government since it installed itself in Kabul.

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       The Taliban has been in power in Afghanistan since the fall of the government in August, which was backed by the US.

       It preceded the high-profile and controversial withdrawal of US military forces from the country after the Taliban swept into Kabul.

       US President defended the decision to leave Afghanistan after 20 years of military involvement to prevent the Taliban seizing power.

       The US withdrawal from Afghanistan was widely criticised, however, as images and reports from on the ground in Afghanistan shocked the world.

       Despite initial statements from Taliban forces during and immediately after the takeover, in which they assured world leaders that they would respect the rights and freedoms of women, it appears that has not been the case.

       Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the international community has observed a crackdown on the rights of women and girls in the country.

       Women have taken to the streets in the last month to protest the removal of their freedoms - with the Taliban claiming that they did not have the right to protest.

       Last month, the Taliban also announced new rules for female students, meaning that they could not study in the same classrooms as their male peers at universities.

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       They additionally put a dress code in place for women attending university classes, with Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani promising a review of what subjects women will be allowed to study.

       He told reporters last month the Taliban wanted to "create a reasonable and Islamic curriculum that is in line with our Islamic, national and historical values and, on the other hand, be able to compete with other countries".

       These changes also extended to female students only being taught by female teachers.

       Responding to suggestions that there would not be enough teachers to do so, Mr Haqqani rejected that there would be a shortage.

       Under the first Taliban rule from 1996 until 2001, women were not permitted to attend school or university.