Afghanistan: Terrified Families Hand Out Red And White Roses Symbolising Friendship To Taliban
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Terrified families have been handing out red and white roses that symbolise friendship and forgiveness to members of the Taliban.
Some Afghan families have been taking part in the gesture in a desperate bid to ease relations between themselves and the militant group.
Footage shows armed Taliban members being approached by boys and men who proceed to give them the flowers, the colours of which are significant in Afghanistan’s culture.
In Afghan culture, the colour of red symbolises friendship while the colour white symbolises forgiveness.
The terrified attempt to build bridges with the Taliban forces comes after the group seized control of the country’s capital, Kabul, on Sunday.
The gesture follows fears that have been rising for women and girls in Afghanistan. After the Taliban seized control of the country’s capital, it is reported that despite declaring ‘amnesty’ and encouraging women to join its government, that the military group have been targeting women.
While the Taliban has vowed that women will be permitted to work and study until university level, under the Taliban’s rule from 1996 until 2001, girls were prevented from receiving an education. Women could also only go out in public if they wore full-body coverings and were escorted by a man. Any woman who went against these rules ran the risk of facing brutal punishment, such as public flogging, stoning, amputations and even execution.
Zarifa Ghafari, a 27-year-old female mayor, has expressed her terror at the situation, saying that she believes that the military group will come and kill her. She said she is just ‘sitting here waiting for them to come’.
Fears are subsequently growing among Afghan women and girls, causing varied responses, with some scared families handing out the flowers as gestures of goodwill, while others have taken to the streets in protest of the Taliban’s return.
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