The Powerful Afghan Women’s Movement in a statement on Sunday, marking the anniversary of the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, said that the country has once again fallen into the clutches of “the monster of international terrorism.”
The movement criticized the global community for remaining silent in the face of what they described as the “tragic situation” in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
“This dark day was imposed upon us as a result of global political conflicts,” the statement read.
The protesting women held the Taliban responsible for the country’s current state and urged the international community to take action to “save the Afghan people, especially women.”
The movement highlighted that Afghanistan has become a safe haven for global and regional terrorist groups, citing the killing of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in the heart of Kabul as a clear example.
The statement warned that the rise of terrorist groups is not only a threat to Afghanistan but also to global and regional security. The movement called on the world to act before the “fires of terrorism” spread to other countries.
The women also urged the international community to support a national process under the supervision of a United Nations representative, involving all ethnicities and groups in Afghanistan, to end Taliban rule.
Meanwhile, Afghan civil society and human rights activists around the world have also called for mass protests against the Taliban on August 15, the anniversary of the group’s return to power. These activists have labeled the Taliban’s rule as “apartheid” and have urged the United Nations to officially recognize it as such.
