Swallows of Kabul By Yasmina Khadra

Afghanistan - Location

Quick Facts 29 million people South central Asia; bordered by Pakistan Iran, and Soviet republics Kabul is the capital Dari (Persian) and Pashto are languages 99% of Afghan people are Muslim

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Soviet Union invades Afghanistan 12/24/79 Massive military airlift into Kabul Secured Kabul in a few days Fierce but brief resistance from Afghan army

A short video….

Resistance in the Countryside Mujahidin (resistance fighters), saw Christian or atheist Soviets as defilement of Islam Proclaimed a jihad (holy war) - gained support of the Islamic world Employed guerrilla tactics with weapons they could grab from the Soviets or given by the United States

Soviet Withdrawal Tide turned in 1987 Mujahidin fights back Shoulder-launched missiles Tide turned in 1987 Mujahidin used U.S. shoulder-launched anti- aircraft missiles. Shot down Soviet planes and helicopters on a regular basis. Soviet forces started withdrawing in 1988.

Long-Term Impact Soviets never recovered Public relations and financial losses Significantly contributed to the fall of the Soviet empire in 1991. The war created a breeding ground for terrorism and the rise of Osama bin Laden Mujahidin warlords began to fight with each other – civil war in Afghanistan for almost a decade

The Rise of the Taliban The Taliban (literally "the Seekers“) were graduates of Pakistani religious colleges The Taliban promised to bring peace and enforce Sharia (Islamic law) Captured one province at a time, starting in 1994 In 1998, controlled 90% of Afghanistan

Treatment of Women in Afghanistan Under the control of the Taliban there became a gender apartheid in which women and girls were stripped of their basic human rights. Source: Feminist.org

The Elimination of Women’s Rights The Taliban instituted a system of gender apartheid that forced women of Afghanistan into a state of virtual house arrest. Under Taliban rule women were stripped of all human rights: Their work Visibility Opportunity for education Voice Healthcare Mobility

Changes Enforced by Taliban Imagine if you were not able to do these things. How would you be affected? What things that you do now would change? Women are banished from the work force Schools were closed to girls and women and women were expelled from universities Women are prohibited from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a close male relative The windows of women's houses were ordered to be painted black and women were forced to wear the burqa (or chadari) Prohibited women and girls from being examined by male physicians while at the same time prohibited female doctors and nurses from working

The Burqa The Hijab

Consequences for Breaking Taliban Rules Women and girls died of curable ailments because male doctors were not allowed to treat them. An elderly women had her legs broken because her legs were showing under her Burqua. A woman caught with a man that was not her relative or husband was stoned to death.

The Plight of Afghan Women http://www. cbsnews. com/video/watch/

Afghanistan Today Taliban not in control, but still have significant influence in certain regions of the country To this day, the United States still occupies Afghanistan.