The Dark Days

Afghanistan, now called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has been plagued by war, poverty, and insecurity for more than four decades. The Taliban, which previously held power for about 4 years, is now back in charge. The illicit opium trade is intertwined with Afghanistan’s economy. Currently, this 1,000 bed camp houses 3,500 drug addicts who were forced to go through withdrawal by the Taliban. They did not eat for a week because the Taliban had no money for food. The detainees show the range of Afghan lives hollowed out by the country’s tumultuous past of war, invasion, and hunger. They were poets, soldiers, merchants, interpreters, and farmers. Helplessness and distress, uncertainty, broken family ties, and despair have made the present unbearable for them. In their confusion, they search for their lost identity and that of their country. No one knows how many more days the people in this camp can endure.