"Nobody trusts what comes out of the mouth of the Taliban": women in Afghanistan

The fear of this Afghan is that the terrorists help each other 1:45

(CNN) -

Ever since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan and seized provincial capitals at lightning speed, it has been difficult to get a sense of what life is like for Afghans outside the capital, Kabul.

Especially for women.

On Thursday, CNN reached out to three women, all in their twenties and well-educated, to get an idea of ​​how their lives have been affected by the rapid regime change and how they feel about their future under Taliban rule.

All three were girls when the Taliban were previously in control, before being removed from power in 2001. CNN does not use their names, for their safety.

They fled to Kabul

Internally displaced Afghan families, who fled Kunduz, Takhar and Baghlan province due to clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces, are pictured in Kabul on August 11.

A woman has taken refuge in Kabul with her family since a missile hit her home in the northern city of Kunduz.

"Kunduz is not a place to be right now. No one should be there," he said.

"I am connected to many of my former colleagues who are still trapped in Kunduz. Women do not leave their homes; they all stay at home."

advertising

• Latin American countries offer to help displaced people from Afghanistan, especially women and girls

"Those who had jobs are afraid to go out. They all fear the possibility that the Taliban will detain them outside or put their lives in some kind of danger."

He made a distinction between anyone who worked independently and those who had a connection to the previous government.

"Those who worked independently do not see a big change. They continue their work at home, they are self-employed. Government employees, on the other hand, are all at home and cannot go back to work despite the Taliban announcing that they are free to return, "he said.

"The thing is, nobody trusts anything that comes out of the mouth of the Taliban."

"I highly doubt that the Taliban have changed. They do not have the same values ​​as the Afghan people. For them, democracy is off the table. We believe that the Taliban are putting up a facade because the international community and the United Nations are watching them from close, "he said in a voice memo to CNN.

"I'm trying to see how I can get out of the country entirely through NGOs and humanitarian agencies," he added.

"Unfortunately, no one has helped me in this area."

Sharia law and its strict application in Afghanistan 2:16

Stuck in Kunduz

Tents damaged after clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan, on August 8, 2021.

In most of Kabul's remote provinces, life is hard enough.

Women are neglected due to the lack of opportunities and resources available to them, and pressure from the Taliban only adds to their already growing challenges.

In Kunduz, a city of about 350,000 people, another interviewee told CNN that she is stressed about meeting basic survival needs.

His father used to work for the United Nations.

Now he is out of work.

"We are primarily concerned with food and water and where to access those needs," he said.

She described the city as quiet, but tense.

• Taliban harass CNN reporter and her team on the streets of Kabul

"Right now it's calm, but people are worried. People here have lost their calm, they are stressed. The Taliban are saying that girls can go back to school, but once they do, [the Taliban] complain. that they must be accompanied by a male relative. Girls can no longer go out alone, they need a male companion, "he said.

For her, an incident encapsulates the seismic change in Afghanistan.

"The other day, one of our teachers went back to school and got on a pedicab to get there. In Kunduz, it is very common to ride a pedicab. However, the Taliban stopped them and beat the driver for transporting her without a male companion. This is what we are currently dealing with, "he said.

Ultimately, she does not feel safe and would want to leave Afghanistan, if she could.

"I want to leave Kunduz and leave the country to be safe. I am a local journalist here, and my only hope is the organizations that are willing to help journalists flee. I have sent emails to all of them, but have received nothing." .

Commotion in Herat

Taliban fighters patrol the streets of Herat on August 14.

The city of Herat is the third largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of more than 500,000.

Located on the road to Iran, it is a historical and cultural center.

"Everyone is in total shock," said a third woman.

"The fall of the Ghani government and the formation of a new regime under the rule of the Taliban has led to many questions on people's minds."

She has a different perspective than the others.

"The Taliban are giving our entire population hope that they can lead with peace and stability. The presence of the Taliban in cities like Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif is strong compared to Kabul."

"Everyone is waiting to see what laws and rules the Taliban are planning for the people. For men, this issue may not be so worrisome, but women are stressed out and wondering: will we really go back to 90 after 20 years? from so much hard work and progress? Or will the situation be better this time? "he wonders.

"Although men do not feel the same personal level of anxiety as women, they are concerned. Men are concerned about the future of their wives and daughters, especially those who have young daughters," he said.

However, like the others, he said that people are in awe of the pace of events.

• OPINION |

  20 years ago, I sneaked into the country of the Taliban to tell the story of women

"People have experienced a strange shock, not realizing the future of themselves and their country. Everyone tells me that an uncertain future outside the country is much better than an uncertain future within the country. That is why people are looking for any excuse to leave. This is the level of desperation of my people. "

And again, those with some connection to the previous government have the most to fear, he believes, whatever the promises made by the Taliban about a blanket amnesty.

"In Herat, the Taliban go door to door inside people's houses, especially in the houses of those who are connected to ANDSF [Afghan Special Forces] soldiers."

Taliban