My Story Of Afghanistan 🇦🇫: The Beauty Behind The Madness
- Konrad Tillman
- Apr 1
- 8 min read
Introduction
The fall of Kabul in the mid-summer of 2021, marked a seismic shift in the history of Afghanistan. Following 20 years of intervention from the United States, The Taliban returned to power in remarkable speed and fashion, taking Kunduz, Mazari-i-Sharif, and eventually Kabul, in a rapid advance lasting a week. What followed was an unprecedented sense of calm and normalcy, yet deeply unsettling realities in what was about to become the new norm for the people of Afghanistan. While the world watched over the country through a magnifying lens, I took it upon myself to visit the beautiful country of Afghanistan and witness everyday life across the many regions. Landing into the capital city of Kabul, it had become a paradox: it was both a place of constant control, yet of relative safety as well. A place where American Humvees with Taliban flags waving from the back patrolled the streets, a place where RPGs were present on most major corners, but yet a place where the human spirit was still alive.
Despite what we may hear in the media, The Taliban were extremely friendly to foreigners. Their primary goal at the moment is to receive international recognition as a solidified government, thus meaning, that if anything were to happen to a tourist, it would cause unwanted attention. Through conversations with the locals and decently ranked Taliban officials, it was clear to me that the shift in government wasn’t about ideological purity, but about control of the country. However, beneath the politeness lay a striking fear that the USA would come back, the elite ranking members on the run as they attempted to legitimize a regime without being actively present. The reality of life under the Taliban is a complicated one and one that isn’t displayed correctly by the narrative.
As we entered the ancient city of Bamian, there was a juxtaposition that struck me; seeing the beautiful snow-capped mountains of the Bamiyan province, combined with the bright white Taliban flags waving from the front of the truck. On one hand, you have the ancient Bhuddas dating back 1500 years, and on the other hand, are the local Afghan shops making a mockery out of the tragedy of 9/11. The combination of the stark contrasts between the two sides left me with answers, but also opened my eyes to more questions, to seek a better understanding of what was causing the frailty of peace.
Afghanistan’s Beauty And Struggles
There is a beauty to Afghanistan that we rarely hear about in the media, especially in the Bamian province where the snow-capped mountains loom over the Taliban flags as if they are silent sentinels. Through the poverty and rubble, one observes small moments of beauty that are larger on a grand scale of things: a warm cup of milk tea shared with strangers, a young child’s laughter, or the vibrancy of the traditional clothes worn by locals. For instance, there are many ethnic groups in Afghanistan, one being the Hazaras. Through countless years of oppression, the ethnic group keep their heads up and wear their attire proudly, as if it is a symbol of who they are.
'
Despite this beauty, Afghanistan has been plagued for decades with systemic issues. As of 2025, Afghanistan is officially the poorest country in the world (FocusEconomics, 2024), and this is likely due to the lack of a stable government, extreme poverty, and the absence of infrastructure. In addition to the poverty, a harsh new reality had occurred for a lot of the government workers: The Taliban hadn’t paid their salaries in over 3 months. Many people who previously worked in government roles were forced into working with the Taliban. Government servants, teachers, doctors, police officers. All paying kickbacks* to the Taliban, yet receiving no salary due to the lack of money in the country at the moment. In an already dire situation in Afghanistan, it just seems to be getting worse and worse by the day (Middle East Studies, 2023).
The Taliban & ISIS In Afghanistan
Under the second rule of The Taliban, the group has set out to attempt to look more legitimized to the outside world. As the US pumps in millions of dollars (Foreign Affairs, 2024) in an attempt to maintain relations (most likely), one has to wonder about the relations that the rest of the world has with the Taliban. However, each and every public worker, where this money is supposed to be going, have been forced to join the new regime. To most news outlets, we view the Taliban as one, when in fact it isn't that way. Multiple Taliban members in fact do not support the new regime, but they are left without any other options due to the sheer number of members in the regime. Speaking with a Ministry member in an unspecified location, he informed me that he wishes the Taliban were in fact, not in power.
Meanwhile, the ongoing threat of ISIS in the region is a prominent one. As The Taliban seek to control the citizens, they are also fighting a war on two fronts with ISIS. While most of the active ISIS attacks occur outside of Kabul, just last year a grim attack took place in the small city of Bamian, killing and injuring multiple humans in the Bazaar (Kohsar, 2024). The fragile peace in the country is hanging on by a thread, constantly threatened by different groups inside the country and outside. And while there might be peace at the moment, a man told me “Never forget why there wasn’t peace in the first place”. With the giant Afghanistan flag now replaced by the Taliban flag, it was a constant reminder that the old Afghanistan we once knew and loved had been replaced by a brand new regime.
The People Of Afghanistan
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Afghanistan is the people. For most citizens of countries, growing up is relatively easy, every day you don’t have to worry about whether you are going to get blown up by an ISIS attack or worry about your next meal; you learn to enjoy your life. However, in Afghanistan, life is on the flip side of the coin. Throughout my time there, every single person I met were some of the most resilient and strong-willed individuals I have ever met. As I walked through a graveyard in Kabul, a man asked me to take his picture on top of his father's grave with his son. It was a moment of reverence, which left me in a sense of dire awe. Throughout all the pain and suffering, the people of Afghanistan still find a way to show hope when there is very little around.
The resilience of the people is even more impressive when one thinks about the rules that differ from region to region. While most people assume that all women must cover their face, in the Wakhan Province, this isn’t exactly the case. All of the “rules” that are set in stone are ones that are simply for show and control (this is purely my observations and could be wrong), offering no alternative for citizens wishing to choose what to wear, or if they can go to school. A prime example of this is the special Taliban Police for women. Dressed in all white, these police officers make sure in the major cities that women are dressed appropriately, don’t walk to the park by themselves, and additionally, don’t drive. Discussing with some Afghan locals, they informed me that the Taliban see this as part of the “Islamic Law”, when in fact there is no such law prohibiting these activities. However, outside of the main cities such as Kandahar, Mazari-I-Sharif, and Kabul, it is more of a rarity to find these fellow white-dressed officers.
However, the most striking encounter I witnessed during my time in Afghanistan was walking back from a restaurant one day and witnessing countless homeless children on the street, begging, barely surviving in a community that has failed to provide for them. In the Western world, most of us have a roof over our heads at five years old, food provided on a plate, and drinkable water, but for some kids in Afghanistan, they are lucky to make it through the night. Unbearable heat during the summer, whistling cold breezes during the winter, and not enough money to remain the right temperature. Everyday was a fight for survival for these children, and to put it frankly, their future lay in the balance of someone giving them a few Afghanis for dinner that night. The images of these children in my brain haunt my dreams at night. Through the likes of South Sudan, Madagascar, and Somalia, I have seen children light a smile in the most dire of circumstances, but there was not a single ounce of joy on their faces. It was if they were living ghosts, lost before their lives even had a chance to begin. Their faces engraved into my mind, I can’t escape the realization that the world has forgotten about some of our own.
Conclusion
While the media tells a narrative filled with unthinkable violence, Afghanistan is more than just the Taliban, it’s filled with an unbreakable spirit of its people. Beneath the despair and poverty, the resilience shown by the Afghan people shines like a flicker of light in an ever-darkened world. Filled with snow-capped mountains and ancient cities, the beauty of Afghanistan is unparalleled, but also finding hope through situations where few could, where few could imagine there was. I will never forget the images of those homeless children, forgotten and lost, with a silent plea for survival. Invisible is the world. I can still hear the cries echoing to the empty corners of the world, their lives caught up in a cruel paradox between a future that has been taken from them, and a present that is unbearably harsh. Even yet, these children carry with them a certain strength which most of us will never understand, and it’s a faint reminder to us all to appreciate everything and everyone we have around us at any given moment.
Hanging on to the fate of their humanity, the Afghan people learn to embrace the smaller pleasures of life. Enjoying a tea, or wearing their local attire proudly, there is a quaint revolution taking place. Not a revolution of weapons, but one that is far richer: of the human spirit. It’s a refusal to be broken, no matter the circumstances. As the giant Taliban flag waves in the heart of Kabul, we must not forget that the true power of Afghanistan doesn’t lie in the politics, but in the rich hearts of the people. These are the people who bear the nation's weight on their shoulders, dreaming of a life where their children don’t have to fight to just survive one more day.
And so, with my time in Afghanistan at a close, I carry and treasure those faces and stories on my back, ready to share with the world the Afghan people's strength, sorrow, and hope. Etched into my soul, I refuse to let the world forget about this beloved country. For the true tragedy doesn’t lie within the war, but in the eerie silence that follows, the forgotten lives that fight for survival on a daily basis. Through the Afghan people, they have taught me a valuable lesson: through the darkest of times, humanity can still shine through. They are the living proof we need in this world that no matter how dark it is in the tunnel, there will always be light, and there will always be hope of a way out, even when most of the world has abandoned them. May we change the perspective of Afghanistan. May we collectively remember their struggle, honor their resilience, and not stop fighting until each and every child has an opportunity at a future that consists of more than survival.
Small Note:
This was a reflection paper I wrote for University in my Global Peace Studies Class. In no way is this intended to be a journalist article, or a written piece directed to make the Taliban look bad. As a matter of fact, I would argue that each and every country has its own issues and as an example, the US government is also seeking to control their citizens. Heck, most governments are.
I just wanted to share a powerful story of what I learned, that is it 🙂. I'm not the best writer, I know, but I hope this gave some insight.
Comentários