L'Oreal hijab model pulls out of campaign after backlash

The model who was supposed to be the first woman in a hijab to be part of a mainstream advert for hair care has said she's pulling out of the campaign following backlash.

UK beauty blogger Amena Khan says she's pulling out of a L'Oreal campaign "because of the current conversations surrounding it". She made the announcement via Instagram.

Khan's decision follows the discovery of tweets she wrote in 2014, which some have branded as "anti-Israel". Only days back, she revealed that she was delighted to be a part of the L'Oreal campaign.

She told Newsbeat: "It's a platform for diverse voices and women who don't fit the very narrow mould of beauty."

However, after she was accused of expressing "anti-Israel" views in a number of now-deleted tweets from 2014, she stepped down. Amena had hoped her role would inspire and empower other women who wear headscarves.

A spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris told Newsbeat: "We have recently been made aware of a series of tweets posted in 2014 by Amena Kahn, who was featured in a UK advertising campaign. We appreciate that Amena has since apologised for the content of these tweets and the offence they have caused. L'Oreal Paris is committed to tolerance and respect towards all people. We agree with her decision to step down from the campaign."