The Taliban halted a blood donation drive by women activists to mark International Women鈥檚 Day on Tuesday, activists said.

Speaking outside a Kabul hospital with seven other activists, Monesa Mubarez, the head of a women鈥檚 rights movement, said the group had intended to stage a protest. Because of the Taliban鈥檚 brutal crackdown on women鈥檚 rights protesters, they decided to donate blood instead.

The campaign had been thwarted by the Taliban-appointed hospital director at Jumhuriat Hospital in Kabul when hospital staff learned it was to mark women鈥檚 day, she said.

鈥淭hey saw it as a protest,鈥� Mubarez said.

She said coordination had been made beforehand, but 鈥渨hen we came here to start our campaign, the head of the hospital, who is one of the (Taliban) didn鈥檛 give us permission,鈥� she said.

Attempts to convince the city鈥檚 central blood bank were also futile. 鈥淭hey also didn鈥檛 give us permission, so our campaign was stopped,鈥� she said.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment.

The blood campaign was a symbolic gesture, Mubarez said, to show solidarity with Afghan women, many of whom have limited access to health facilities. 鈥淲e wanted to send a message, we will not be silent,鈥� she said.

The Taliban has maintained it is committed to upholding the rights of women according to their interpretation of Islam. Their policies and pressure from the international community have afforded some freedoms compared to the first time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.

The Taliban said girls will be able to return to high-school later this month. Women are also permitted to attend university and work in some sectors, chiefly education and health.

But they also face restrictions. Activists protesting in favor of women鈥檚 rights have been beaten and arrested. The Taliban leadership has not appointed women to the executive leadership.

鈥淭he Islamic Emirate is committed to upholding the Sharia rights of all Afghan women. International Women鈥檚 Day is a great opportunity for our Afghan women to demand their legitimate rights,鈥� tweeted Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. 鈥淲e protect and defend the rights of our Afghan women, God willing.鈥�

鈥擱ahim Faiez And Samya Kullab, The Associated Press