Afghan conflict: ‘I’m waiting for Taliban to come for people like me and kill me’, says Afghan female mayor

By Team Newsable  |  First Published Aug 17, 2021, 12:59 PM IST

Even as the heart goes out for all Afghan women and children, Zarifa Ghafari’s words strikes through the hearts. “I’m waiting for Taliban to come for people like me and kill me.”


As the Afghans questioned the loyalty of Afghan security forces, and blamed President Ashraf Ghani after Taliban’s military coup, heart-breaking and gut-wrenching words of Afghanistan’s first female mayor Zarifa Ghafari have sent remorse across the world.

Even as the heart goes out for all Afghan women and children, Zarifa Ghafari’s words strikes through the hearts. “I’m waiting for Taliban to come for people like me and kill me.”

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Zarifa Ghafari, 27, who heads Maidan Shahr city in central Afghanistan, told iNews she hadn’t tried to flee the country because she had nowhere to go.

“I’m sitting here waiting for them to come. There is no one to help me or my family,” she said.

“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?”

Sadly, just three weeks ago, the country’s youngest mayor Ghafari had revealed that she was optimistic about her country’s future.

“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,” she told the outlet at the time.

Ghafari had survived multiple attempts on her life by the Taliban since she rose to prominence in 2018.

Just 20 days after the third attempt on her life failed, her father General Abdul Wasi Ghafari was executed on November 15, 2020.

The horrors of Afghan women are being seen and heard through Ghafari’s words. Even as the pathetic state of Afghanistan is being widely covered, social media is stormed with reactions pouring in on Ghafari’s statements. Here are some reactions on Twitter.  

”I’m sitting here waiting for them to come. There’s no one to help me or my family;they’ll come for people like me & kill me.” Sad, heartwrenching words from the brave Afghanistan’s first female mayor. The lives of Afghan women are at risk. World War Z pic.twitter.com/5ijoihH5mo

— Afrikuz (@Afrikurz)

Female Afghan Mayor Zarifa Ghafari expects Taliban to kill her https://t.co/d4suSqpOq0

— 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐲🔬🏴 (@reciprocity_1)

Thinking of Zarifa Ghafari a lot the last few days.

I was at State the day Secretary ⁦⁩ honored her as an “International Woman of Courage”

A proud Afghan woman who had already survived many attacks.

God help her & all the women like her https://t.co/j4TjYM8u8d

— Rev. Johnnie Moore ن (@JohnnieM)

An uncoordinated and poorly planned exit has left millions in despair, including (female) Afghan Mayor, Zarifa Ghafari. https://t.co/MSm84FuifS

— Jaime R. (@jaime_rogue)

Afghan women need to be saved! It would be terrifying to be a female in Afghanistan right now Female mayor in Afghanistan says she's waiting for Taliban to 'come ... and kill me' - https://t.co/klzEpN8jvz

— Chelsea Cook (@chelsjournalist)

Graveyard of Afghan Women https://t.co/q93GZ9uXrj

— bin Adamah 🔯🇦🇫🤪🏳️‍⚧️☪️ (@JShahryar)

This is really heartbreaking. I can't begin to image how Afghan women are feeling.
"Afghanistan’s first female mayor: ‘I’m waiting for Taliban to come for people like me and kill me’" https://t.co/mde3fMOPc5

— Daniela Torrico (@LDanielaTorrico)

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