An Afghan lady who proudly joined the militia a decade ago is now timid that she will doubtless be kidnapped, raped or even killed for being a soldier below the fresh Taliban regime.
Kubra Behroz, 33, made up our minds to develop into an officer in the Afghan National Navy in 2011 amid a push to recruit extra female troopers, the UK’s Telegraph reported.
“I don’t are searching to be owned by somebody. I are searching to stand on my possess two feet,” Behroz told the newsletter of her decision to don the uniform.
“I address my country and we are the next generation of Afghans taking a step into the sleek world.”
But after the Taliban swept to energy by toppling the authorities in Kabul, the mother of two is afraid for her safety.
“I’m nervous I will doubtless be kidnapped, imprisoned and raped for being a soldier. I’m nervous for my future and for my household,” Behroz talked about, in conjunction with that her comrades-in-palms possess issued a chilling warning.
“They are saying the Taliban will minimize off our heads in the occasion that they gain us,” she told the Telegraph.
Behroz’s soldier brother — who became as soon as wounded final week all the map thru combating in Ghazi province — told her that two ladies had been beheaded for having been police officers four years ago, primarily primarily based on the outlet.
There also had been reports online of insurgents raping ladies and girls in the title of marriage.
Under a notice in most cases known as zina, a lady who’s raped is in most cases forced to marry her assailant or face ostracism from her household and crew for her “excessive” conduct.
Behroz, who joined the military all the map thru an enormous recruitment force to invent a most up-to-date militia, became as soon as expert for six months by American, British and Jordanian instructors on the Afghan Navy National Officer Academy — dubbed “Sandhurst in the Sand,” a reference to the British academy.
“It’s miles an Islamic country and we need female troopers and police to conduct dwelling and body searches. Men aren’t allowed to produce that here,” she talked about.
The preliminary purpose became as soon as to invent the militia 10 p.c female by 2020, but when the academy opened its doorways to ladies in 2014, uptake became as soon as dead — as ladies who stayed far off from dwelling in a single day had been frequently accused of prostitution, the paper reported.
After reports of abuse, threats and discrimination, the recruitment targets had been diminished to excellent 3 p.c –with fresh estimates of female troopers at a mere 1.3 p.c.
Behroz, who has been careworn since she signed up, talked about she as soon as left the military and moved her household to one more section of Kabul but finally rejoined when she became as soon as unable to search out work.
She talked about she has now faced increasing threats and anonymous phone calls in most up-to-date weeks.
“They discuss in Pashto after which Dari and insist me they know gain me,” she told the outlet. “They’ll abolish me and my household. Killing is a share of cake in Afghanistan — folks don’t think twice about it.”
Behroz added that she might well strive and flee to Pakistan, where she and her household also fled in the 1990s amid the civil conflict and the Taliban rebellion.
“It’s miles history repeating itself,” she talked about.