BAHARIN LEHIB

Kabul- Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, Afghan people have been subjected to many rights violations. The Taliban’s repression mostly targets women and girls. Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their right to education, work and removed from public life.

Since the Taliban took control of the country, many former government officials and soldiers have been kidnapped, killed and tortured by the Taliban forces. While some former government officials and soldiers managed to flee to other countries, the fate of many is still unknown. The families of some arrested soldiers still receive no news from them.  The situation for former female soldiers is the same.

A.S. is one of these female soldiers. She has been living in one of the caves of Bamyan city of Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country. She struggles to survive with her children in the cave in fear that the Taliban will kidnap, torture, arrest and kill her.

The fate of the soldiers kidnapped by the Taliban is unknown

Indicating that she held a good position in the previous Afghan government, A.S. said, “After several months, the Taliban called on soldiers to serve for them. Some female and male soldiers accepted to serve for the Taliban; however, they were kidnapped or killed. The fate of the soldiers kidnapped by the Taliban is still unknown. We take shelter in this cave because I do not want to be killed by the Taliban.”

‘I do not want to die’

After fleeing the Taliban repression, her husband left her and married another woman. Now, she tries to protect and look after her three children alone in the cave. She earns money for herself and her children by digging up potatoes in the agricultural fields belonging to others. “I fear that the Taliban will come after me to find and kill me. My son is seriously sick now. What would happen to my children if I die? I do not want to die.”