E-Paper
'Locals never raised their voices': Former Afghan mayor on Taliban takeover
Zarifa Ghafari was Afghanistan's first woman mayor of Maidan Shahr city that lies west of Kabul. She is among those who fled from war-torn Afghanistan following Taliban takeover.
Afghanistan's first woman mayor, who fled to Germany recently, has blamed the people of her country for the Taliban's return to power. Zarifa Ghafari said the people did not raise their voices against terrorism.
"For whatever Afghanistan is facing today, everyone is to be blamed including local people, politicians, children, and the international community. The local people never raised their voices unitedly against all wrong including terrorism," Ghafari told news agency ANI.
Also Read: Pak has clear role in current situation in my country, says former Afghan mayor
The 26-year-old said she is now considering meeting high-ranking officials, politicians and women of different countries to draw attention to the crisis in Afghanistan.
"My aim is to meet high-ranking officials, politicians and women of different countries to make them aware of the real situation in Afghanistan, and ask them to join me for the start of a movement."
Ghafari was Afghanistan's first woman mayor of Maidan Shahr city that lies west of Kabul. She is among those who fled from war-torn Afghanistan following Taliban takeover.
Ghafari said that Taliban fighters have a list of people who took a liberal approach and were killing off people one by one. She claimed the insurgents even visited her house and beat up her security guards.
"Taliban have been to my house, they were asking for me, and they grabbed my car away, they have beaten my guards. They were all searching for me," she told ANI.
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in the wake of the withdrawal of US forces. Their offensive, launched in May, culminated with capturing of Kabul after which the civilian government fled the war-torn country.
The US has said that they will withdraw Afghanistan by August 31, an president Joe Biden refused to extend it further on Tuesday. The Taliban had warned of consequences if the withdrawal of American forces is delayed.
