Afghanistan crisis: Female mayor says she's waiting for Taliban to 'execute her'

Zarifa Ghafari, one of Afghanistan's first female mayors made a glaring remark on Sunday as she said that she has no option but to wait for the Taliban to come and kill her.

While talking to the British outlet iNews, she said, “I'm sitting here waiting for them to come. There is no one to help me or my family. I'm just sitting with them and my husband. And they will come for people like me and kill me. I can't leave my family. And anyway, where would I go?"

Ghafari became Afghanistan's youngest mayor in 2018. Even though Afghanistan had women appointed as governors or mayors before her, she is the first woman to hold office in the conservative province of Maidan Shar. Just under a month ago, Ghafari was hopeful that her country might survive this as she said, “Younger people are aware of what's happening. They have social media. They communicate. I think they will continue fighting for progress and our rights. I think there is a future for this country."

According to i news, Ghafari was handed the task of ensuring the safety of the Defense Ministry in Kabul. She was given the responsibility of the welfare of soldiers and civilians injured in terrorist attacks. She continued working under extreme circumstances until Taliban took the full control of the country.  

The current situation in Afghanistan

President Ashraf Ghani fled from Afghanistan on Sunday after surrendering against the Taliban. Before the surrender, the Taliban systematically started attacking provinces to take over from the government. As they reached the gates of Kabul, the Taliban already had acquired more than 60% of the entire country. When the news regarding the takeover broke out, thousands of Afghani citizens reached the Kabul airport in the hopes of finding a ticket to another country.

The authorities had to shut down the airport after the influx of people was too big for them to control. The airport has reopened but only for emergency purposes. The runways are being currently used by different countries that are sending their aircraft for the evacuation of their citizens.