- Title: Attendance in Kabul parks rises as fear of the Taliban is waning
- Date: 17th September 2021
- Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (SEPTEMBER 17, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN PARK CROWD IN PARK, SPINNING CHAIRS RIDE ON BACKGROUND PEOPLE ON ROLLER COASTER TWO MEN SITTING ON GRASS, DRINKING TEA MEN TALKING ON STEPS (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) RESIDENT OF BAGRAM, KHADIM, SAYING: "People are happy and men and women both came to the park. Of course, there are not as many people as in the past, but things are improving. I came here a week ago and the public spirit was not so high, but what I see now is that spirits are high and people seem happier, as compared to what I saw last week." PEOPLE SITTING PEOPLE WALKING IN PARK MAN WITH AFGHAN FLAG ON HIS SHOULDERS PEOPLE AT ICE CREAM STALL PEOPLE WALKING, CHILDREN RUNNING PEOPLE IN PIRATE SHIP RIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) VISITOR, MUNTAZ KHAN AKAKHAIL, SAYING: "I have come from Pakistan. Our country, especially this park in the of province Bagram Parwan is beautiful. I have come here, to my country, for the first time with my friends and this is a beautiful place. I am very happy to see these people, and the overall situation. There is total peace here.†VARIOUS OF SPINNING CHAIRS RIDE CHILDREN JUMPING ON TRAMPOLINES PEOPLE IN BUMPER CARS PEOPLE IN SPINNING CHAIRS RIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) KABUL RESIDENT, AZIZ ULLAH, SAYING: "When the Taliban came, people thought they might close the park and now we see men, women, kids, everyone in the park. I mean, they are feeling good." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING THE PARK PEOPLE IN WHEEL RIDE
- Embargoed: 1st October 2021 20:51
- Keywords: Afghanistan Kabul Parks Taliban
- Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- City: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001EV3VOEF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A month after the Taliban captured Kabul and swept into power across Afghanistan, people, including women and children, are seen out in parks and public places, Reuters footage shows.
"When the Taliban came, people thought they might close the park and now we see men, women, kids, everyone in the park," said a resident, Aziz Ullah, as he strolled through a park in Kabul.
"I came here a week ago and the public spirit was not so high, but what I see now is that spirits are high and people seem happier, as compared to what I saw last week." said Khadim, another visitor.
The Taliban seized power last month, 20 years after they were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
They have tried to present a more moderate face to the world, but many Afghans fear reprisals and a return to a harsh version of the Islamic law that the Taliban enforced when in power from 1996 to 2001, in particular, the repression of women and freedom of speech.
Members of the new all-male Taliban government are promising to protect human rights and refrain from reprisals against old enemies.
But the United States, the European Union, and others have cast doubt on such assurances, saying formal recognition of the new government - and the economic aid that would flow from that - will depend on the actions taken by the Taliban. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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