Member-only story
The lie of the ‘renovated’ Salang Tunnel
By Alma Begum*, translated into English by Rustam Seerat.
Salang is one of the most famous highways in Afghanistan, and one of the most important as it connects Kabul with the northern provinces of the country. The highway’s most renowned section is the Salang Tunnel, a 2.7-kilometre tunnel that is crucial for keeping that north-south transportation route open throughout the year. Originally built by the Soviets in 1964, this feat of engineering is one of the highest road tunnels in the world.
In late December, the Taliban regime showed off their reconstruction of the Salang Tunnel, with a senior official promising that they’d used good quality materials in the work. I was puzzled as the hype over its reconstruction and development by the Taliban authorities in Kabul escalated. My mind couldn’t reconcile the contradictions that such boasts raised: How could the officials of a group whose hands are stained with the blood of the people and who gloriously exploded roads, bridges, and infrastructure in the past two decades make a 180-degree turn to become builders of prosperity and comfort for the people? I was curious to experience the Salang highway in person, especially the Salang Tunnel.
As we approached the Salang Tunnel from the Baghlan end, the highway was being repaired, resulting…
