The UN refugee agency has suspended cash assistance for Afghan returnees, citing Taliban restrictions that prevent its female staff from working.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Wednesday it could no longer provide safe and equal cash support to men and women at border crossings because female employees were barred from assisting returnees.

The agency said in a statement that it was the reason to temporarily halt UN cash distributions. It urged Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan not to apply for cash aid until the issue is resolved, adding that it was unclear how long the suspension would last.

UNHCR said other services for returnees at border points would continue and that discussions with Taliban authorities were under way to find a solution.

The halt comes as thousands of Afghans are deported daily from Iran and Pakistan. Aid agencies report that many arrive with no resources and often cannot even afford transport to their home provinces.

For many families, UN cash assistance had been a critical lifeline. International organisations have previously warned that mass deportations risk worsening Afghanistan’s deepening economic crisis under Taliban rule.