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July 21, 2020 A group of Taliban attacked her home last week and killed her parents, but she, as a teenager, took up arms and shot the attackers: two militiamen died and others were injured and she became a hero national.

It happened in Afghanistan, in a village in the central province of Ghor, where until a few days ago Qamar Gul, between 14 and 16 years of age, lived with his little brother, mother and father, village chief and sided with the government. "The Taliban were looking for their father," said local police chief Habiburahman Malekzada. 

A story of ordinary violence in the country that has been the scene of a war since 2001, only this time the Taliban had to deal with a determined girl who did not hesitate twice before wielding the weapon to avenge her parents.

"They dragged the man out of the house and when his wife resisted, the Taliban shot the couple right outside the front door of the house," said the same police source. The daughter, who was inside, took the machine gun that the family kept in the house, went outside and killed two Taliban, injuring some. Other insurgents came to the scene to attack his home again, but were rejected by villagers and pro-government militants, who in the meantime had intervened after heavy armed clashes. "The girl and her younger brother were taken away by Afghan security forces and are now in a safe place," said provincial governor spokesman Mohamed Aref Aber.

Since the news of the shooting was relaunched by the media and social media, hundreds have greeted the girl's "heroic" gesture, which has become an icon of resistance to the Taliban. A photo of the girl in the veil and a machine gun resting on her legs went viral. Many teenagers like her and women reacted and paid tribute to the "courage and resilience of an Afghan girl".

Qamar Gul shot dead two #Taliban fighters and wounded several more after they killed her parents #Afghanistan https://t.co/9vACfAAIkb pic.twitter.com/3sDe4kVEWF

- Arab News (@arabnews) July 21, 2020

The killing by the Taliban of chiefs and residents of villages suspected of being informants of the government and security forces is a widespread practice. The ongoing peace negotiations with the Kabul government have not stopped the violent attacks by the insurgents, which have also recently intensified attacks on security forces.