 "A Taliban fighter stands guard as women wait to receive food rations distributed by a humanitarian aid group, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on May 23, 2023. Image used for representational purpose/AP")
An Indian woman and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter returned to India on Wednesday after being stuck in Afghanistan for three years since the Taliban takeover, The Times of India reported.
Indian national Iqra Jamaal is married to an Afghan national and was unable to return home when the Taliban seized power.
“I have lived through immense fear, depression, and anxiety, especially in the early months of the Taliban’s return,” Iqra said to The Times of India.
When the Taliban took control of Kabul, a chaotic situation unfolded the country. she was unable to catch the evacuation flight to India during the chaos.
During her stay in Afghanistan, she became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter.
The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 after waging a twenty-year insurgency. Their takeover led to significant changes in the country’s political and social landscape.
Since the takeover, the Taliban have imposed several restrictions on girls and women.
The restrictions include bans on attending secondary schools, public spaces, and most forms of employment.
The international community is yet to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government.
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More ShortsTaliban’s crackdown on women rights
Afghanistan is the only country in the world to prohibit females from studying beyond the sixth grade. They are also barred from public spaces such as parks, gyms, and beauty salons and face strict dress codes and limitations on movement. These actions have been described as “gender apartheid” by organizations including the United Nations and Amnesty International.
Lately, In February 2025, the Taliban has suspended the operations of Radio Begum, an women’s radio station in Kabul.