Exclusive interview: How is the life in the Taliban-ruled Kabul?

Mepa News conducted an exclusive interview with the Afghan woman Bibi Janey, about the latest situation in the Taliban-ruled Kabul city.

Janey, who is living in the government-ruled city for a long time, using this name in the social media. She talked about the recent situation in the city.

- How was the Taliban's seizing power of the city of Kabul without clashes?

My family knew what was happening yesterday late morning because people were all rushing home due to uncertainty or expecting gun battles. Stores were closing, traffic was bad, so people were even walking home.

The neighborhood soon became very quiet and the adhaan went off as American helicopters continued to circle above. I live near the airport.

pic.twitter.com/k5iNXNxrV2

— bibi janey (@janeygak) August 15, 2021

They said that the Taliban had arrived in Kabul.

- Were there any killing, looting or any transgression by the Taliban members against the people?

None that were confirmed.

We heard lots of stories of people masquerading as Taliban in order to loot cars and enter peoples homes and steal their valuables. 

- How was the Taliban's behaving against the ordinary people?

I have contacted the Taliban regarding some issues I had and they were very responsive and respectful.

I needed to get information about reporting crimes for friends to Pul-i-Khumri Taliban the other day and they immediately got in touch with our friends. 

Please also see this tweet.

I watched for about a minute too as one Talib briefly made eye contact and quickly looked away.

An old man next to me told me to be careful and to cover my face. I asked why.

man: Because the Taliban are right there.

bibi: so why didn't they tell me themselves?

— bibi janey (@janeygak) August 16, 2021

Last night the armed looters came to our neighborhood and tried to steal cars. Some neighbors claimed it was the Taliban and others said it was the armed looting gangs, but I could not tell because it was too dark.

I got in touch with the Taliban emergency number and they informed me that the Taliban were not taking cars and to not open our doors for anyone claiming to be Taliban as the Taliban had not liberated our area yet.

- What is the people's stance about the Taliban's seizing the power?

There are so many mixed feelings. Some people who have been watching western news are frightened and want to leave the country. But the majority of people I know were not worried “we will get through this just like all the other wars”.

Some people are even indifferent.

However, one thing is that the mood changed very rapidly. When the people who were pro-government realized the government forces were not going to fight for them, and as bureaucrats were fleeing, they suddenly stopped supporting them and became angry at the entire situation.

- We saw that, one side many people were cheering the Taliban and on the other side, many of them were trying to running away to airport. Why the people running away? Who are these escapers really?

There are different classes of people in the country. There are ordinary people who make an honest living doing normal labor work or business.

But then there are people who worked with the government or the Americans who believe they are in trouble and want to flee.

I blame the media which has been demonizing the Taliban for years making them seem like a bloodthirsty group of savages. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Kabul was taken without a single shot fired.

- How ise the life in Kabul now? Is the situation under Taliban as bad as some media outlets portraying?

My area is mostly back to normal.

However, some people, because of the 20 years long propaganda, are uneasy and are trying ot be careful. 

Source: Mepa News