These are pics and stories to Before the Fall, Chapter 2 of Hollie McKay's and my photobook on Afghanistan and the Return of the Taliban
Kunduz had fallen. The city had fallen several other times to the Taliban. Hard fighting to win it back and much civilian losses. But this time it seemed like it was a real loss and the Taliban had permanently won and now people were fleeing. They fled south to Kabul and set up camp in a park on the foothills to the entrance.
Kunduz was a stragetic city and a cross road betwen Mazar and Badakshan and back roads to Bamyan. Winning in Kunduz divided the ability to travel freely to the towns. The Taliban were encircling Mazar. Also Taliban in Pakistan could also travel and easily fortify the city via Badakshan.
The many who travelled, travelled with nothing looking for shelter, and hungry. Foreign aid had not arrived but many local Afghan community and humanitarian groups came to assist. They had hot food and some blankets but not enough to build humanitarian shelters. People slept on the dirt. Many could not afford a room.
Hollie and I headed up to the camp. We met up with some Afghan journalists and there was also Charlie Faulk with Oriane Zerah. It had been a long time I had seen Oriane, since another of our friends and journalist colleagues Sardar had been killed.
He was killed during Eid with his family in the Serena hotel when young Taliban assailants got through security. They shot up at the celebrations killing Sardar who bravely stood up to intervened. They then had killed his wife and his children leaving one barely alive.
Some police unit had paid for a feast to feed the refugees coming and I photographed a police officer making a massive pot of Qabuli Palaw. It is a local rice dish with carrots, sultanas, rice and bits of meat slowly cooked. I made him smiled and dished the food out.
We all jumped in the cars, myself jumping in the back of the police ute. Charlie and Oriane jumped in as well in the back and off we went.