In Afghanistan, on the eve of the planned departure of the US military, thousands of Afghans have still not been evacuated. This is the case of Sahil, (his first name has been changed), an Afghan journalist. Its no ...

Afghanistan: "I feel a prisoner in my own country"

People gathered, holding up passports and documents, near an evacuation checkpoint at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 26, hours before the suicide attack that struck this area.

AP - Wali Sabawoon

Text by: Sophia Khatsenkova Follow

7 mins

In Afghanistan, on the eve of the planned departure of the US military, thousands of Afghans have still not been evacuated.

This is the case of Sahil, (his first name has been changed), an Afghan journalist.

His name is on the US repatriation list, but he has yet to receive a call to confirm his flight.

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RFI: What is your current situation?

Could you be evacuated before August 31st

Sahil:

Some of my fellow journalists have been evacuated by American forces, but I am still stuck in Kabul because of the chaotic and dangerous situation at the airport. The American organization which finances our media and which put our names on the repatriation list, tells us that the situation is deteriorating and that we must be patient. We're going to have to wait weeks for them to find a safe way to evacuate us.

I lost all hope of being

evacuated before the

US forces left on August 31. I am very disappointed, I have not been able to work for a month. I go to the office to see my colleagues in order to forget this stress and this loneliness that I feel. I have no future as a journalist in Afghanistan. The Taliban will limit our work. The other day, one of the leaders of the Taliban was interviewed by an Afghan television station. On the set, he was accompanied by seven armed Taliban. The questions were prepared in advance and given to the presenter who was obliged to ask them. I had done reports that did not show the Taliban in a good light. This is why now I am no longer safe.

If you are not evacuated by Western forces, what are you going to do?

In recent days, I have been thinking about paying a smuggler to leave the country.

But all borders are closed.

We have two borders with Pakistan, but the situation there is even worse than at the Kabul airport, because there are thousands of people trying to get back to Pakistan.

There are also a lot of people trying to flee through Iran, but again the borders are closed.

For now, the safest way to leave the country is through the border with Uzbekistan.

But the country does not issue visas for Afghans.

It's not very expensive to pay a smuggler right now.

It costs about US $ 100.

They say they pick you up in Kabul and bring you back to the town of Quetta in Pakistan.

But the problem is, all the borders are closed, so even if I paid more, there would be no guarantee that I would be able to leave Afghanistan.

I feel like a prisoner in my own country.

What do you think of the idea of some Western countries to create a protected area in Kabul in order to continue humanitarian operations

If Western countries manage to create this

protected area

that would be perfect, but I'm still skeptical.

Because the Taliban have the power, so it is they who decide.

And if they don't want to let Western forces set up this protected area, no one can force them to do so.

► See also: Afghanistan: London and Paris plead for a protected area in Kabul

While waiting for the call from the US authorities, tell us what life is like in Kabul right now.

Life in Kabul has changed dramatically since the Taliban took power. All shops, markets are closed. The banks have just reopened on Monday for the first time in two weeks. The way people dress has also changed. I used to wear jeans and t-shirts. Now I wear traditional Afghan clothing because I don't feel safe going out wearing “western” clothing.

The people who are most affected at the moment are women.

They do not leave their homes.

They cannot go out without putting on the

burqa that covers their face

This Sunday, the Taliban announced that girls and boys can no longer go to school together.

Classes and schools are now separated.

In the southern city of Kandahar, the Taliban banned

women from speaking

in the media.

Women are no longer allowed to sing too.

It's very similar to the 90s when the Taliban took power.

►

To read also: Afghan women: "There is no longer any possibility of working and exercising my profession as a judge" [Testimony]

Afghanistan: "I feel a prisoner in my own country"

Afghanistan: "I feel a prisoner in my own country"

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