The International Criminal Court (ICC) has separated its probe into Taliban persecution of women from its broader Afghanistan investigation, which also covered alleged crimes by US military and CIA personnel. Judges at the court's Pre-Trial Chamber II ordered prosecutors to launch a standalone inquiry, reportedly determining that Taliban conduct since 2021 is "materially different" from what the original investigation was authorised to examine. The move follows July 2025 arrest warrants issued against Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and judiciary chief Abdul Hakim Haqqani for crimes against humanity, amid sustained US pressure on the court — including fresh sanctions on senior ICC officials and a State Department pledge to "dismantle" the institution entirely.