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Four women activists in have been released by the country's "de facto authorities" after going missing weeks ago, the said Sunday.

"After a long period of uncertainty about their whereabouts and safety, the four 'disappeared' Afghan women activists, as well as their relatives who also went missing, have all been released by the de facto authorities," the (UNAMA) said on Twitter.

Tamana Zaryabi Paryani, Parwana Ibrahimkhel, Zahra Mohammadi and Mursal Ayar went missing after participating in an anti-rally, but Afghanistan's hardline Islamist rulers had consistently denied detaining them.

After a long period of uncertainty about their whereabouts and safety, the four ‘disappeared’ Afghan women activists, as well as their relatives who also went missing, have all been released by the de facto authorities.

UNAMA calls for the rights of every Afghan to be respected.

— UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews)

AFP reported the release of Ibrahimkhel late on Friday.

She went missing along with Paryani on January 19, days after taking part in a rally in Kabul calling for women's right to work and education.

Weeks later, Mohammadi and Ayar went missing.

whose government is still not recognised by any country, have promised a softer version of the harsh rule that characterised their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001.

But since they have cracked down on dissent by forcefully dispersing women's rallies, detaining critics and often beating local journalists covering unsanctioned protests.