“Three men were lined up and shot right in front of the kids from the orphanage.” This is what Rias Ahmed (name changed), witnessed on the day the Taliban took over Kabul, capital of Afghanistan.
It was 15 August, a Sunday morning that started as usual, given the concern about the Taliban’s advance. Ahmed, a former official in one of the ministries of the Afghan government, was gearing up for a meeting. “We were watching the news about the Taliban militia waiting at the city limits. None of us could have guessed at breakfast that Kabul would fall before lunch,” he recalled.
Just after 2pm, a group of frantic government staff ran towards him screaming that the Taliban had taken over Kabul: “We’ll be killed, move quickly.” In the rush that ensued, memories of past violence flashed through Ahmed’s mind. He raced down the stairs, leaving his possessions in his desk.
