Afghanistan has been at war for most of the last 50 years. Invasion, occupation, insurgency, civil war are daily routine. What lies ahead for the people of Afghanistan after Western forces withdraw this year? The new government of the Taliban Islamic Emirate has pushed back democracy and destroyed all 20 years of activity. At the same time, civilian casualties and attacks have decreased, but the newly formed ISIS has emerged. They are doing what the Taliban have done for the past twenty years: violence, war, attacks and explosions. With the withdrawal of Western forces this year, the future seems to be disappointing and ambiguous. According to a report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair (OCHA) Afghanistan ranks near the bottom on many humanitarian measures. Thirty-four percent of the population is food insecure. Ten percent of children die before they start primary school. Thirty-eight percent of children do not have access to school. Around 5.4 million civilians in conflict-affected areas have limited access to food, safe drinking water, health care, and other basic services. More than 600,000 people are internally displaced.

Almost 1.5 million people are heroine addicts. Women and girls are especially at risk in Afghanistan. The Taliban have targeted women activists, educators and any woman working outside their home. They have focused attacks on schools for girls. The literacy rate among women in Afghanistan is 12%. Despite of the violence, poverty, drug addiction and lack of education, life goes on in Afghanistan. I have engaged on photographing the life of Afghan people for over 10 years. I am a witness of how they tried to build their country and obtained primitive freedom and democracy; which was destroyed in a couple of months. In my photo collection, I am portraying the history of what was built vs what is ruined and at the same time people’s endeavor to live their lives.