Ayoubi insisted on entering the record despite the threat to her life. “I’ve spoken out enough times to get on the hit list, so speaking now won’t change anything,” she said. “I want to let the world know about the current situation.”
Just weeks ago, before the Taliban took over Kabul, Ayoubi was on the roof of her building, singing with her neighbors and tweeting #AfghanLivesMatter. At the time, she was quoted by French newspaper Le Monde as saying: “If the Taliban come to Kabul, they will burn down everything we’ve built in the last 20 years. When I look around, I wonder, what can I bring with me? According to what? My three children and maybe some clothes.”
Since the fall of the capital, women like Ayoubi have struggled to find a way out for their families. Some of her friends have made it to Afghanistan. However, the women on the Taliban’s list are walking on a tight line where one mistake could lead to death. When the Taliban took power in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, women and girls were banned from school and forced to wear outerwear indoors. They are completely unable to work, or even leave the house without a male escort. Penalties for breaking this rule can range from public assault to execution.
One document has gone viral through social media and group chats for people trying to find a way out of the country. The author, who said they advise a government in the region and asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that the document collates publicly available information about the visa process as well as the advice on their security and travel logistics. has been obtained from diplomats and other contacts in the country.
“People can submit tips and I will verify their accuracy before I include it,” the author of the document told BuzzFeed News. “This information is mostly available, but buried. Access to information is a huge barrier.”
But the documentary, seen by BuzzFeed News, also paints a vivid picture of navigating the maze of bureaucratic, logistical and personal challenges facing Afghans simply trying to get to the airport. International of Kabul.
The document states: “You should bring as little furniture as possible, no pets. Strictly no hand baggage has been boarded. ”
