It is absolutely disheartening to be witnessing the current situation in Afghanistan.
It all began when the Al Qaeda hijacked American aircrafts on September 11, 2001.
As a retaliation, US military along with the UK forces started their bombing campaign against the Taliban forces in October, 2001. This campaign has costed innumerable lives, American and Afghan alike.
Innocent people have been caught in crossfire.
Fast forward to current times, on February 29th 2020, Taliban signed a peace agreement with the American government ensuring Taliban ceasefire with the US. But relations between the Taliban and Afghan nationals have remained to killings and torture.
On April 14th 2021, the Biden administration decided to complete the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Taliban, within a matter of days, have managed to overthrow the government and have taken over the capital city of Kabul.
Citizens are desperate to leave the nation. They would rather be refugees in other nations than be ruled by a terrorist organization in their home.
The Taliban has issued notice to hand over girls as young as 15 and not older than 35 to be married off to the men working for the Taliban and are being forced to become sex slaves. Women and girls are now being tortured, raped and even killed for not wearing a hijab.
Education has been banned for the girl child and no woman is allowed to leave their homes without a man with her. Jobs that women worked have now been given to a male counterpart.
In a time of crises, the first world nations have let us down.
The British government have taken away scholarships given to Afghan students due to “administrative issues”.
The US have left all their machinery, ammunition, even drones and military grade aircrafts and trucks behind, which have now fallen in the hands of the Taliban.
Sikh and Hindu minorities are seeking shelter in gurudwaras, waiting to be rescued. The IAF has begun to rescue stranded citizens in Afghanistan.
Disturbing visuals of Afghan nationals at the airport have also been seen. In an act of desperation, two men clung to the wheels of the aircraft. There is a sad visual seen of them falling off and meeting their end.
China has entered into peaceful talks with the Taliban which can prove disastrous for India. Further, Pakistan endorses the Taliban takeover and the Indo-Pak border can become hostile very quick.
Amidst Afghanistan’s takeover, the President, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country with four cars and a helicopter full of cash, leaving his citizens to fend for themselves.
This is the overall result of the Biden administrations hasty and messy withdrawal of American troops without a proper peace deal in place.
The common man has once again been caught in between dirty politics.
One can only pray for the well-being of the Afghan nationals and hope nations grant them asylum, instead of abandoning them, in these trying and testing times.
We hope humanity still exists and the citizens of Afghanistan live to see a better, brighter day.
Image source : ig- rustamwahab_
