Almost 34 years ago, on this day — February 15th, 1989 — the last Soviet soldier left Afghanistan. As we mark this anniversary, I take a moment to reflect on the lessons learned from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which may provide insights into the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. — In 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan with about 115,000 soldiers, my father was in his twenties and joined the Jihad against the godless communists. One day, along with a group of the newly formed mujahideen, he went to a couple of villages down the valley to fight the…

I will tell you, but first, let me bore you with how I got to the medium. — I knew nothing about medium.com until March 25, 2021. The week before, in a perplexing move, the US-backed government attacked a Hazara anti-Taliban commander in Behsood, Maidan Wardak province, Afghanistan, killing more than 30 civilians. This was perplexing because both commander Alipoor and the government of Ashraf Ghani were fighting…

Following the August 15, 2021, takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban banned girls from higher education, but private tuition centers remained open until last December when the Taliban’s total ban on women’s education came. Rukhshana Media published accounts of severe mistreatment of girls by the Taliban morality police at the private education centers, some of which are as follows. — Written by Shirin Yousefi, translated by Rustam Seerat

My story on how I learned to read and write and how I buried my books when the Taliban took over Afghanistan for the 2nd time. — My father and uncles were bi-sawad, a Persian word for illiterate, meaning they could not read or write. They inherited it from their father, my grandfather, and great-grandfather. Traditionally sawad (literacy) was seen as a male thing; naturally, no females in our family were literate. But interestingly, it was a…

After this, I will be writing for Zantimes.com. Follow @ZanTimes on Twitter, link: https://twitter.com/ZanTimes — The water dispute between the Taliban and Iran over the Helmand River has recently escalated into a display of machismo and military posturing. While both sides flex their strength, the real victims of this dispute are the women who bear the brunt of water scarcity and its consequences. …

The US did not invade Afghanistan in 2001 to establish a democratic system, bring freedom and gender equality, or protect human rights. The Taliban’s atrocities and the 1998 massacre of 10,000 members of the Hazara ethnic group in Mazar-e Sharif occurred at a time when the US was sympathetic towards…

To me, Medium’s business model is like stumbling into a casino. Picture this: we all toss in our $5 chips (monthly subscription) and engage in a month-long game of wits to snatch each other’s winnings. Some folks have a knack for this crazy gamble and end up pocketing more, most…

A love story of a Hazara and Pashtun couple and the Taliban prison. — On a sunny day amidst the hustle and bustle of the taxi station, Rajab and Gulandam sat calmly on the taxi seats with their four children. After 18 years of pursuit and escape, they hoped to reach a safe place. However, before the car could start, armed individuals appeared around…

Language, both coarse and refined, carries immense power. — For linguists like Noam Chomsky, language is the main feature that distinguishes humans from other animals. Language serves as a potent tool for communication, capable of conveying ideas and emotions, and even shaping societal norms. However, the manner in which we employ language can have profound effects, both on our…