Groups of men were seen joining women in protest against the Taliban’s ban (Picture: Twitter)

Groups of male students in Afghanistan appeared to walk out of their exams in protest of the Taliban’s ban on women studying.

Footage posted on social media shows students at Nangarhar University, in Jalalabad, and Kandahar University seemingly refusing to sit their exams.

Women can be heard cheering and clapping as the men exit a room holding papers in the air.

One clip shows men joining a crowd of women holding up signs and chanting in protest of the sexist ban.

The Taliban is reportedly trying to prevent anyone from filming or photographing demonstrations against its new rule.

Journalists saw soldiers enforcing the ban by blocking the entrance to at least four universities in the capital of Kabul today.

Heart-breaking videos show women weeping and consoling each other.

Women stopped by the Taliban outside a private university in Kabul (Picture: Getty)

Women were not allowed into Kabul University (Picture: Reuters)

A spokesperson for Kabul University, Rahimullah Nadeem, confirmed classes for female students had stopped.

He said some women were allowed to enter the campus for paperwork and administrative reasons, and four graduation ceremonies were allowed to be held.

The Taliban announced the indefinite closure of universities for women with a letter from the higher education minister yesterday, with the ban taking effect immediately.

Despite initially promising a more moderate rule respecting rights for women and minorities, the Taliban have widely implemented their interpretation of Sharia law since they seized power in August 2021.

Journalists have reported seeing the Taliben enforcing the rule on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)

They have banned girls from middle and high school, barred women from most fields of employment and ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public. Women are also banned from parks and gyms.

This most recent move is certain to hurt efforts by the Taliban to win international recognition for their government and aid from potential donors at a time when Afghanistan is mired in a worsening humanitarian crisis.

The international community has urged Taliban leaders to reopen schools and give women their right to public space.

Qatar and Pakistan, both Muslim countries, have expressed their disappointment at the university ban and urged authorities to reconsider their decision.

Qatar played a key role in facilitating the negotiations that led to the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan last year.

It called on the ‘Afghan caretaker government’ to review the ban in line with the teachings of Islam on women’s education.

Neighbouring Pakistan said its position on the issue of women’s education has been ‘clear and consistent’.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said late last night that no other country in the world bars women and girls from receiving an education.

He warned: ‘The Taliban cannot expect to be a legitimate member of the international community until they respect the rights of all in Afghanistan. This decision will come with consequences for the Taliban.’

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The women cheered as men joined their demonstrations in solidarity.