Football governing body FIFA has sought emergency evacuation of female players from Afghanistan amid what it termed as an “unstable and very worrying” situation in the country. FIFA said it is working with governments for an evacuation plan and aims to “bring as many people to safety as possible.”

“We remain in contact with the Afghanistan Football Federation, and other stakeholders, and continue to receive updates from players in the country,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement.

Players’ organisation FIFPRO has made a similar plea .

This comes amid multiple media reports about players fearing for their lives after Taliban’s effective takeover of the country on August 15.

Human rights activists are skeptical about the Taliban’s assurances of respecting women’s rights under Islamic laws, considering the treatment meted out to women under the group’s last reign from 1996 to 2001.

Copenhagen-based Khalida Popal, the former captain of the Afghanistan women’s football team, on Thursday urged players to “remove their identities and take down their photos (from social media) for their safety.”

“Even I’m telling them to burn down or get rid of your national team uniform,” Reuters quoted her as saying.

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Popal, the co-founder of Afghan women’s football league, also appealled sporting bodies to “help get our players safe”. She said many players and activists were worried and scared as “they have nobody to go to, to seek protection, to ask for help if they are in danger.”

“They are afraid that any time the door will be knocked,” she said.

Many of the country’s female footballers have gone into hiding, the BBC reported.

Haley Carter, a former assistant coach of the Afghan women’s team, told BBC World Service Sport that she had received a message from one player that the Taliban were “going to kill us. They don’t want girls to play football and we’re in risk.”

The lives of players are in “even more danger” if they are found to be “talking to anyone on the outside,” Carter said.