'Sweet Day' For Afghan Sportswomen Fleeing Taliban Rule On Latest Flight

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published October 20, 2021 | 10:40 PM

Afghan women athletes expressed relief and optimism Wednesday as they fled Taliban rule on the latest flight out of Kabul, with one calling it a "sweet day for all of us"

Kabul, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Oct, 2021 ) :Afghan women athletes expressed relief and optimism Wednesday as they fled Taliban rule on the latest flight out of Kabul, with one calling it a "sweet day for all of us".

The female footballers, basketball players and others were among 369 passengers on the plane to Qatar, including more than 55 who were evacuated in coordination with global football body FIFA which is organising next year's World Cup in the Gulf monarchy.

The semi-regular flight to Doha, arranged by the Qatar government, has become a rare lifeline for Afghans with passports and visas since the Taliban seized power in August.

Wednesday's flight was the most packed yet, and included several women athletes including 28-year-old basketballer Tahera Yousofi from Herat, who is heading to Canada.

"Today is a very, very sweet day for all of us because after many, many weeks our trek starts and we are very happy," she told AFP.

Tahera used to play and train regularly in Afghanistan and has competed internationally, but since the hardline Taliban returned this has proved impossible.

"The Taliban government don't let us play and don't let us get a job and we have to vacate this country, unfortunately," she said.

Sports were banned when the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, and since their return women's freedoms have again been abruptly curtailed.

Flying alongside the athletes were expat Afghans who were visiting their homeland and were caught off guard by the speed of the Taliban victory.

Aside from Afghans, the passengers included citizens from the United States, Germany, Britain, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan and others.

Several families brought young children and babies, and some were so exhausted they fell asleep almost on take-off.