Afghanistan (2010-2014):
There are very few places left in the world that can capture the imagination, quite like Afghanistan. It is one of those rare stark places that has managed to elude even time itself. The closest thing I can imagine to time travel is flying into Kabul—stepping into a biblical world, a time of humble beginnings. Yet, it's a place where one can sample the hospitality of simple people, gaze upon a rugged mountainous landscape, or breathtaking high-altitude plateaus, all while indulging in the simplest of pleasures. I've heard Afghanistan described as the final frontier; having spent four years there, I know that to be true; there's nothing quite like it!
With its long, turbulent history, Afghanistan has been an interest of mine for some considerable time. Nestling on a high plateau on the western edge of the Hindu Kush mountains, Kabul, the capital city, sits at 5873-feet (1,790-meters) in elevation, making it one of the highest capital cities in the world. Mentioned in manuscripts from the First Persian Empire (The Achaemenid Empire), historically, the site of modern-day Kabul shows signs of inhabitation from around 3,500 years ago. Strategically placed along the ancient trade (spice and silk) routes of South and Central Asia, the origin of Kabul, who built it, and when, is still virtually unknown.
This project contains several images captured during my time there (2010-2014), ranging from Kabul City, the Panjshir Valley, the Hindu-Kush mountains, and the border regions of Pakistan near the village of Māshī Kêlay.
Mr. Faireh Dadvar Hussain, a street vendor on Kabul's iconic Chicken Street, who specializes in Afghan rugs and antiques. Chicken Street is a narrow street located in the Shahr-e Naw district of Kabul east of the Asamayi. It's a prominent shopping street in the city and popular with foreigners, famous for its carpets, handicrafts, and antiques.
Outside the major cities like Kabul, Kandahar, and Jalalabad, houses are predominantly built into the surrounding hillside and mountains, a collection of natural pastel-colored Adobe homes and Qalats. The term 'Qalat' is used throughout the Muslim world to indicate a defensive fortress and means a strong place. Qalats have been around for thousands of years; they range from massive hillside fortifications to the mud-brick compounds common throughout southwest Asia. The natural materials and colors, packed earth, clay, straw, sticks, and stone, dried in the sun, all these factors allow these homes and fortifications to blend in naturally with the rugged terrain. As a result, they complement the arid landscape of Afghanistan, and in the warm afternoon sun, they offer the richest of pastel-colored palettes in the country.
Mr. Aarash Zada Kahn, a local street mechanic from the village of Bazarak in the Panjshir Valley. Mr. Kahn's father opened the small repair shop on the Saricha Road in 1394 (Islamic Hijri calendar), 1975 (Gregorian calendar). In 1426 (2006), he retired, handing down the business to his son, who expanded by specializing in generator, motorcycle, and small engine repair.
Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989: A rusting Soviet T-34-85 battle tank captured in the village of Anaba in northeastern Afghanistan, one of the many relics littering the Panjshir Valley, left in place by locals as a monument to victory—by a simple people against a global superpower. Thirty-five years after World War II, Soviet strategists deployed this aging relic into the first Panjshir Valley offensive in April 1980. Three Soviet battalions and 1000 (Russian-backed) Afghan government troops participated in the incursion. The Mujahideen deliberately lured the Soviet forces deep into the valley—and then ambushed them as they withdrew. This monument to resistance in the town of Anaba celebrates that victory.
Three generations: Kadun Amer Malik poses with his father, Mr. Amer Malik Rahim, and Grandfather Mr. Malik Rahim Sabir, on the porch of their home in Māshī Kêlay. Due to the lack of refrigeration, meat purchased from the local bazaar hangs on the front porch out of direct sunlight. This technique of hanging your whole animal, quarters, or boned out meat for at least a day or two in the shade before butchering, allows the meat to settle and relax out of rigor mortis.
Zamri Majeed Bashaar is a former resistance fighter with the Mujahadeen who fought against the Soviet Union in the Soviet-Afghan War (December 24, 1979 – February 15, 1989) under Ahmad Shah Massoud. In the 10-year conflict, Zamri had been wounded three times. In addition, he was directly responsible for killing two Soviet vehicles, a T-55 main battle tank and a BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pjehoty) which stands for ‘Infantry Fighting Vehicle,’ using homemade antitank mines outside the villages of Rukah and Barak, in the Panjshir valley.
Naseer, a retired Police Sergeant from the Afghan National Police (ANP), sells propane from his home, an old shipping container, in the village of Rokhah, in the Panjshir Valley.
Amid the open street drains and raw sewage, six children play with a balloon among the back streets of Kabul within a complex network of tight streets and alleyways, along Awali May Road, Qalai Zaman Khan district, east of the city. In Kabul, 58% of poor people are children. The intensity of poverty is also slightly higher for children, meaning that they face deprivations in more areas of their lives than adults. Afghan boys suffer many of the same risks, including military recruitment into armed conflict and sexual exploitation. In addition, both girls and boys are exposed to hazardous labor practices, contact with landmines, and violence at home.
Ahmed Khan, a 22-year-old member of the Afghan National Police (ANP), poses for a photograph at a police outpost in the small town of Sekhamir Kalay, south of Khost. Their mission is to observe the border road that leads to the crossing point at Māshī Kêlay into Pakistan. He is armed with a Soviet-made AK47 (preferred over the Chinese counterpart), fitted with a custom flash-eliminator, a forward handgrip, and a 30-round clear plastic magazine. Ahmed is the only member of his family of eleven with a job. Though the region is extremely hazardous due to high levels of Taliban activity and proximity to the Pakistan border, he volunteers for this duty as it pays slightly more due to the risk. He makes $380 a month.
Three members of a local National Guard force from Sabre International Security, assigned to ‘Forward Operating Base Lightning,’ pose for a photograph on the mountains overlooking the base. FOB Lightning can be seen top right of the image on the horizon.
A young Afghan boy sells water at the entrance into the Panjshir Valley. Children of all ages work for little money; one U.S. dollar will feed a child on rice and bread for a week. Poverty is rampant in the valley due to many factors, such as lack of infrastructure, limited access to markets, social inequity, historical and ongoing conflict, and various productivity constraints.
The remains of a Soviet T54 battle tank left in the fields of Rokhah village in the Panjshir Valley, one of the dozens that litter the countryside. The abandoned armor testifies to the billions of dollars the Soviets poured into their occupation of Afghanistan during the 1980s. After the war, many relics were moved into position by the local Afghan government to remind visitors to Panjshir of the stand the people took against the Soviet invasion.
The national sport of Afghanistan, Buzkashi, which translated means 'goat grabbing.' Many historians believe that Buzkashi began with the Turkic-Mongol people, and Northern Afghanistan indigenously shared it. In Buzkashi, a headless carcass is placed in the center of a circle and surrounded by the players of two opposing teams. The game's object is to get control of the carcass and bring it to the scoring area. Although it seems like a simple task, it is not. Only the most masterful players can even get close to the carcass. The competition is fierce, and the winner of a match receives prizes donated by sponsors. Buzkashi is indeed a dangerous sport and not for the weak, but intensive training and excellent communication between the horse and rider can help minimize the risk of injury.
In a typical Kabul Street scene along the Salang Wat Road, filth, mud, and raw sewage cover the streets. What was a ghost town ravaged by civil war has become a shabby, bustling metropolis. Cars clog the streets, negotiating for space with street vendors and donkey carts. At the fringes, crude houses pepper the hillsides and the valley along the river, spreading far beyond the Afghan capital's limits.
Afghanistan's turbulent history has brought sorrow and misery to many, particularly the old and the young. Many elders who lost their families to conflict are now reduced to begging on the streets to survive. This elderly woman has positioned herself outside a lucrative antique store on Chicken Street in the hope of landing a handout from coalition soldiers or wealthy tourists visiting the area.
Afghan children patiently wait outside an antique store on Chicken Street, hoping to offer their services to wealthy visitors, offering information; crude, rudimentary tourist maps, protection services, and local knowledge of stores—for sale. In addition, wealthy business owners pay many street children for each customer they direct to their shops.
The Super Kabul is a relatively unknown motorcycle company that is spoken of very highly within the city for its economic range of bikes. The Super Kabul’s 125cc range was designed locally for consumers in highly urbanized cities as solid and durable bikes that could be easily be used for off-road and urban travel.
Three cautious Afghan hillsmen approach, suspicious of my activities within the Sargali Mountains, north of Māshī Kêlay, on the Pakistan border. Little did I realize that I was being covered by another person hidden with an AK47 assault rifle until my intentions were identified. Mukhtar Mohammad Tabsheer (sitting left) is the local tribal leader within these hills. Later, having identified my peaceful intentions, the man with the rifle was called in, and I was taken back to the village for Chai.
Abdul-Ali, the man with the gun, provided cover for a meeting between tribal leader Mukhtar Mohammad Tabsheer and me. Once called down from his cover position, he approached and warmly introduced himself. I captured this posed image shortly after that. I believe the man must have had some military training as I was impressed with his trigger discipline, not generally witnessed among hillspeople.
A posed photograph of an Afghan mother seeking sympathy, begging with her child on the streets of Kabul. This woman’s story is retold to each passerby in the hope of compassion and a handout. She tells of brutal beatings under the Taliban and how her husband was flogged and executed. Just how much of this tale is true, one will never know! Yet, these people will do or say whatever is necessary to scrape a living in such a desperate and poverty-stricken place.
Known locally as Ali, this disabled veteran from the Soviet-Afghan war wanders the streets of Kabul, seeking handouts to survive. Many disabled veterans and civilians alike roam the streets displaying injuries sustained through the ravages of war—which leaves them virtually unemployable in a work environment that is physically demanding.
Abdul-Alim, a 24-year-old member of the Afghan National Police (ANP), poses for a photograph at a police outpost in the small town of Sekhamir Kalay, south of Khost. He is armed with an AK47, fitted with a folding buttstock, a custom flash-eliminator, a forward handgrip, and a 30-round magazine.