The U.N. says the Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan. It's a devastating setback for polio eradication.

The Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday. It’s a devastating setback for polio eradication, since the virus is one of the world’s most infectious and any unvaccinated groups of children where the virus is spreading could undo years of progress.

The Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns across Afghanistan, the United Nations announced Monday. News of the suspension was relayed to U.N. agencies right before the September immunization campaign was due to start.

Afghanistan is one of two countries in which the spread of the potentially fatal, paralysing disease has never been stopped. The other is Pakistan.

On Monday, the AP news agency reported suspending the polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan. Official reasons were not provided, but the opposition claims it is about limiting women's participation in vaccination efforts.