'It's a commercial for the Taliban': Tahera was forced to flee her homeland - now, she's seeing influencers flocking there
Despite travel warnings and the erasure of women's rights under the Taliban rule, Afghanistan's tourism industry has boomed since the militant group seized control of the country in 2021.
Mainly male influencers, and more recently some women, have visited Afghanistan and vlogged the experience, with many filming their Taliban tour guides armed with guns and ammunition.
While these influencers flock to the country to participate in what Afghan refugee Tahera called "propaganda," she herself can't return home.
Tahera fled northern Afghanistan in 1998 when the Taliban attacked Kabul. Refugee Council Australia
She fled northern Afghanistan in 1998 when the Taliban attacked Kabul.
Tahera was in Mazar Sharif working for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) when news spread about the Taliban taking over Kabul.
"News spread in the office that Taliban took over... everyone in the office, especially the women, we were extremely scared," she tells nine.com.au.
The company gave Tahera an ID card and items to cover herself up with, telling her to get to safety as soon as possible.
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The Médecins Sans Frontières staffer knew the Taliban would come to kill her. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
"I wasn't sure what I was doing, and I had to cross paths with the Taliban to cross every street," Tahera said.
"It was extremely traumatic, and it's a nightmare every time I remember that I had to make my way home.
"I was sure, and I [told] my family, 'I will be killed... they will come and kill me.'
"In less than 24 hours, I had to leave the country because I was working, in reference to Taliban's policy."
According to the Taliban, if you work for an NGO (non-government organisation), you are "not a real Muslim," Tahera says. Nine
At just 17, she had a target on her back.
Despite being a devout Muslim her whole life, according to the Taliban, if you work for a non-government organisation (NGO), you are "not a real Muslim," Tahera explained.
"Firstly, [the Taliban believe] women shouldn't work," she said.
"They believe that we're Muslim, [so] we shouldn't even be speaking with foreigners; if we do, they [say we] are unbelievers and [we're] not Muslims.
"There's a lot of reason for the Taliban to execute a woman."
The group came back to power in 2021 after the US government withdrew its troops from the region. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
She fled the country through Pakistan and eventually made her way to Australia, where she has established her own accounting firm and founded Afghan Peace, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping refugees from Afghanistan settle in Australia.
The Taliban was overthrown in 2001 by a US-led invasion of the country after the September 11 attacks.
However, the group came back to power in 2021 after the US government withdrew its troops from the region.
Even though she had been living in Australia since 2000, the Taliban's resurgence to power sent a shiver down Tahera's spine.
The Taliban's resurgence sent a shiver down Tahera's spine: "It was very difficult for me emotionally." Nine
"I was shocked, scared... my first thought was what would happen to the girls?" she recalled.
"As a woman, the first thing that comes to your mind is women's safety.
"There was a lot coming to my mind after that ... I was thinking of what will happen to our singers? What will happen to our journalist? What will happen to our TV?
"The emotions kept coming ... it was very difficult for me emotionally."
Dozens of members of Toronto's Afghan community held a protest at Queens Park in Toronto against the Taliban. NurPhoto via Getty Images
Tahera was able to return to her homeland before the group resurged in 2021. But as long as the Taliban are in power, she can never go back.
Perhaps that is what pains her the most about seeing travel influencers visiting Kabul, standing side by side with the people who forced her to leave home all those years ago.
"I witnessed a lot of videos in the northern part of Afghanistan [saying] women are coming to university, girls are going to school ... but then when you look at Kabul, women are not allowed to go to university, they cannot go to school," she said.
"If a country like Afghanistan doesn't have a stable government, they don't know what they are doing ... in every city, they run their own rules."
The rise in influencers travelling to Afghanistan has Tahera concerned. YouTube
YouTube
Tahera cannot confidently say Afghanistan is a safe place to visit today, especially as a woman.
"If I were to say Afghanistan is safe, I would be questioning myself," she said.
"Where are the girls who are going to school? Where are the girls going to university? Do we see any women in leadership? Do we see any women in parliament? Do we have any female journalists talking on the TV?
"Have you ever seen any female journalist inside Afghanistan, interviewing a Taliban soilder?
She said she cannot confidently say Afghanistan is a safe place to visit today, especially as a woman. Anadolu via Getty Images
"We can't really say Afghanistan is safe, regardless of what social media shows.
"A lot of social media videos are not the truth. It's not true. That's just a commercial – it's a commercial for the Taliban."
She said when it comes to the influencer videos, she agrees Afghanistan is a "beautiful country with beautiful people", but that has "nothing to do with security."
"We have not seen any of these influencers going into the military zone of the Taliban," she said.
"Have we seen that? No. If they really are influencing people that Afghanistan is a safe place to go as a tourist, like they have, they need to go to the military space and interview the Taliban, then we will see if it's reality or not."
Tahera agreed that the people of Afganistan are welcoming and hospitible. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima
She also warned videos claiming to include Taliban soldiers could just be locals dressed similarly.
She explained that for their own safety, locals will dress like the Taliban to avoid being singled out, beaten or killed.
"They have long beards and wear the same clothes, which is exactly the way a Taliban will dress," she said.
"That's not because they want to, that's for their own safety.
She wishes one day the world can experience the beauty of Afghanistan, free from Taliban rule Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima
"But if a man is going there and making a video with them [claiming they are Taliban], are they actually Taliban? Or are they [friendly] locals from that province or from that place?"
Tahera says she wishes to return home and hopes the rest of the world can see the beauty of Afghanistan one day, but she strongly recommends against visiting the country today.
"It's not the reality of Afghanistan, unfortunately. I wish it were reality that it was a safe place to go, we all wish for that, but it is not true."
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