UNITED NATIONS (REUTERS) - The United Nations (UN) Security Council has expressed deep concern over a decision by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to deny girls access to high school education and called on the group to reopen schools for female students without delay.

"The members of the Security Council... reaffirmed the right to education for all Afghans, including girls," a statement from the UN said on Sunday (March 27).

Last week, the Taliban backtracked on an announcement that high schools would open for girls, saying they would remain closed until a plan was drawn up in accordance with Islamic law for them to reopen.

The United States abruptly cancelled meetings with the Taliban in Doha that were set to address key economic issues because of the decision, US officials said on Friday.

The Security Council asked Ms Deborah Lyons, the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, to engage with relevant Afghan authorities and stakeholders on the issue and report back on progress.

On Sunday, the Taliban told airlines in Afghanistan that women cannot board domestic or international flights without a male chaperone, two sources told Reuters.

The sources, who are not being named for security reasons, said that the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice sent airlines a letter on Saturday informing them of the new restrictions.

They added that unaccompanied women who had already booked tickets would be allowed to travel on Sunday and Monday.

Some women with tickets had been turned away at Kabul's airport on Saturday, they said.

Spokesmen for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and the Ministry of Culture and Information did not immediately respond to request for comment.