‘It was like doomsday’: How these Afghan women woke up to see the Taliban had returned

Two years after the chaotic Taliban takeover, two young Afghan women who fled to Australia recall the horror they witnessed on 15 August 2021.

Nazdana Bakhtiari (left) and Zahra Samar recall waking to the news of the Taliban's return two years ago. Credit: Supplied

Key Points

• 15 August marks two years since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.
• Since then, the Islamist extremist group has imposed heavy restrictions on women.
• Afghan women who fled to Australia say they will continue to speak out for those in their homeland.

The Taliban marks 15 August as a public holiday in Afghanistan, but the date carries only painful memories for Nazdana Bakhtiari, a Hazara artist now based in Sydney.

“I’m not exaggerating if I say it was like doomsday. I thought that maybe it was a nightmare that would soon end, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case," she said of the day the Taliban took control two years ago.

Having stayed the night at a friend’s place, Nazdana woke up not knowing what had occurred.

“I left for home around 9 am and didn’t realise what had happened until I got into a car. One of the women was crying out that the Taliban had taken Kabul. She said, ‘I called my kids, and I could hear them over the sound of gunfire’,” Nazdana recalled.

“On the way home, I saw everyone closing their shops, and everyone was frightened and agitated, trying to get home for refuge.”

Nazdana Bakhtiari and her mother with Australian soldiers at Kabul airport. Credit: Supplied

The 25-year-old was able to reach one the gates at Kabul airport 10 days after the takeover and came to Australia where she was reunited with her husband.

Zahra Samar also woke up unaware of the Taliban’s arrival.

Training to become a fighter pilot for the army, Zahra was living in a dorm at the Afghanistan Aviation Academy.

Zahra Samar in Afghan army uniform. Credit: Supplied

As usual, she went to her class, but finding it closed, she returned to her room.

“After three or four hours, the officer who guarded the gate called me and said, ‘you should leave the dorm and the academy’. I said, ‘why, what’s the reason?’ and he replied, ‘the Taliban are here in Kabul, and you still ask why?”

No one had imagined that Kabul would fall, and I had never imagined it myself and was shocked like everyone else.

Zahra Samar

In disbelief, she reluctantly picked up her backpack and left, but soon realised something was not right.

“It was very crowded, people were running everywhere, the traffic jam was unbelievable,” she said.

“It’s a very difficult when you see your own country falling into the hands of the Taliban, in this day and age, especially as a woman.

“I had joined the government partly because I wanted to fly.”

“In that moment I felt that if I stay in Afghanistan, I’ll have no freedom, I’ll not be able to fly, nor I’ll be able to study, meaning all the hard work I had done so far will be worth nothing.”

Zahra was part of a group of 11 people who were able to obtain emergency Australian visas with the support of Greens Senator Janet Rice and another Australian woman.

Afghan women stripped of all basic human rights

In a symbolic first move, the Taliban 2.0 regime gave the building housing the Ministry of Women to its Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice after seizing Kabul.

Since then, the Islamist extremist group has imposed more than 21 restrictions on women, denying them the right to work, study or have social and political presence.

“The situation of women and girls’ rights in Afghanistan has reverted to that of the pre-2002 era when the Taliban last controlled the country, effectively erasing progress on women’s rights in the intervening 20 years,” a UN expert said in March.

Nazdana was selling embroidery hoops and artworks through her Instagram account in Kabul. Credit: Supplied

That was before the regime banned hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan in a move that some described as the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for women.

“Unfortunately, since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, they have again imposed many restrictions on women, which are getting worse day by day, and these restrictions include education, work, social rights, legal rights, and even privacy and women's outfits,” Nazdana said.

After almost two years of living in Australia where women have all the rights, it really saddens me that women in my country are deprived of everything.

Nazdana Bakhtiari

She used to run her own business in Kabul, selling embroidery hoops and artworks through her Instagram account.

Now she supports other women in Afghanistan who follow her footsteps by promoting their products online.

With the financial support of an Australian pilot, Zahra was able to carry out more than 100 hours of flying over the past two years. Credit: Supplied

Zahra said the Taliban has essentially deprived women of their very basic human rights.

“Education is every human being’s right, regardless of their gender, but what we see is that in Afghanistan that right doesn’t exist,” she said.

“What is really disappointing is that the world, for example the US [and its allies], who were in Afghanistan for 20 years and then abruptly left, are not pressuring the Taliban to respect women and girls’ rights.”

‌But she said Afghan women living abroad must not keep quiet and continue to fight for those trapped in the country.

Keeping the dreams alive

Nazdana was already waiting for her Australian visa before the takeover, but the circumstances under which she had to leave shocked her.

Together with her mother, she was able to finally reach one of the gates of Kabul airport before jumping aboard an Australian evacuation flight.

Nazdana said getting used to a completely different environment wasn’t easy, but she used every opportunity to figure out how she can do what she loves.

Nazdana Bakhtiari hopes to re-establish herself as an artist. Credit: Supplied

During Australian Fashion Week in 2022, she modelled for an Afghan Australian designer and, as a result, received two scholarships to study fashion design herself.

But she wanted to continue as an artist and began researching opportunities in Australia.

“Now that I’m here, taking advantage of the many opportunities that exist for women, I will try to continue doing what I really love again.”

“I hope that one day through my art I’ll be able to show the world that Afghan women do not deserve to be restricted, (so) please allow them to breathe and flourish.”

She established her business in Australia six months ago, selling her own paintings through Instagram and her brand-new website.

“I thank Australia for all the gifts it has given me. I am really trying to give back to Australia and its people the hope and opportunities it has given me.”

Welcome Merchant, a Sydney-based organisation that supports refugee and asylum seeker entrepreneurs, has been helping Nazdana to re-establish herself as an artist.

She mostly draws women who inspire her and hopes to advocate for change, raise awareness and contribute to empowering Afghan women.

Life plans on hold

With the financial support of an Australian pilot named Jeff, Zahra was able to carry out more than 100 hours of flying over the past two years.

But she said Jeff was only able to support her until she reached the solo stage, and in the end she had to give up.

Zahra says she had to give up her training because she could no longer pay for it. Credit: Supplied

She explained the path to becoming a pilot is a very long, difficult and costly one.

“I was working every day but still didn’t make enough money to pay for it. For now, I have put it on hold.”

“I really don’t want to stop, but one of the biggest challenges is the high cost.

“I want to get another job, just work and do my best to continue, but its very hard, especially for a refugee.”

The 25-year-old has been trying to bring her family over to Australia but so far has had no luck in securing a humanitarian visa for them.