Narratively.ly: Millennials are roughly defined as those born between the years 1980 and 2001. In Afghanistan, this definition carries an added layer of significance, as these years are the bookends of two particularly catastrophic periods of conflict: 1980, the first year of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and 2001, marking the beginning of the U.S.
Afghan displaced children in capital of Afghanistan Afghan labors work at coal market
Xinhua: “Its natural beauty, panoramic landscapes, historical monuments, hospitable people and, above all, its peaceful environment, has lured me to Bamyan,” tourist Mohammad Haroon told Xinhua recently. Visiting the site of the giant Buddha ruins and lambasting the Taliban for blowing up the cultural heritage with dynamite, Haroon protested that the hardliner group, by destroying a
The Mirror (UK): These images show the faces of Afghanistan’s people – in a region where the Taliban no longer exercise their rule of terror. Locals from the Afghan Pamir – an area between Tajikistan and Pakistan – are grateful for the peace of their region. Photographed by travelling snapper Eric Lafforgue, they live in a
IBI Times: Jessica Fulford-Dobson’s photo series Skate Girls of Kabul is a simplistic, yet poignant documentation of girls who have joined a skate club in the Afghan capital. The programme, run by international non-profit organisation, Skateistan, uses skateboarding and education as a means of youth empowerment. The series has gained worldwide acclaim for both Jessica and
The Independent (UAE): A group of Afghan artists and activists are painting graffiti on the walls of government buildings, businesses and embassies in Kabul. They call themselves the Afghan “Banksy”. Click here to view more photos (external link).
Wired: Anna Loshkin’s photographs show people relaxing in the most ordinary ways. Singing pop songs in a karaoke bar. Crashing bumper cars at an amusement park. Playing paintball. They could be in any city in the US, but they’re in Afghanistan. “Even in a war zone, you still want to have fun,” she says. Click here
Xinhua: About 1,600 civilians were killed and more than 3,560 others wounded in conflict-related violence and Taliban-led attacks in first half of the year, according to UN mission officials in the country. Click here to view photos (external link).
Xinhua: There are estimated 1.5 million drug addicts in Afghanistan. Drug addiction is often the result of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, trauma from continuing conflicts and migration, according to health officials. Click here to view photos (external link).
BBC News: A group of Afghan activists and artists are attempting to reclaim Kabul after years of war – by arming themselves with paintbrushes. Because of the poor security situation, many defensive walls have sprung up around high-profile buildings in the city, and these provide the ArtLords with their canvases. Click here for more (external link).