The Taliban have instructed all Afghan government employees to wear beards and follow a dress code or risk being fired, three sources told Reuters.

The sources said officials from the the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice were patrolling the entrances of government offices to check whether employees were complying with the new rules.

Staff were instructed not to shave their beards and to wear traditional attire, consisting of a loose-fitting long top and trousers, as well as a hat or turban. They also need to pray at the right time, two sources said.

Employees were told they would no longer be able to enter offices and would eventually be fired if they did not follow the dress code, the sources said.

Last week, the Taliban banned women from traveling on planes unaccompanied by men and did not open schools for girls.

On Sunday, he ordered the parks to be segregated by gender, allowing women to enter three days a week and men the other four days, including weekends, meaning even married couples and families can't visit together.