Was there Afghanistan? Afghanistan: history from ancient times to the present day

The first written mention of Afghanistan dates back to the 6th century BC. e. It is clear that in fact the history of this country goes back many centuries. To this day, in Afghanistan you can meet the descendants of the Greeks who came there with Alexander the Great. In this ancient country, despite numerous wars, many unique attractions have been preserved. In addition, there are excellent conditions for mountaineering and rock climbing. Unfortunately, due to the political situation, Afghanistan remains closed to foreign tourists.

Geography of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is located at the crossroads of South, Central and West Asia. In the south and east, Afghanistan borders with Pakistan and China (in the east), in the west - with Iran, in the north - with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. There is no access to the sea. The total area of ​​this country is 647,500 square meters. km., and the total length of the state border is 5,529 km.

Most of Afghanistan is mountainous, but there are valleys, steppes and deserts. The Hindu Kush mountain system stretches from northeast to southwest. The highest point in the country is Mount Noshak, whose height reaches 7,492 meters.

In the north of Afghanistan there is the Amu Darya River. Other large Afghan rivers are Harirud, Helmand, Farakhrud and Khashrud.

Capital

The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul, which is now home to about 700 thousand people. According to archaeological data, an urban settlement on the site of modern Kabul existed already in the 2nd century AD.

Official language of Afghanistan

Afghanistan has two official languages, Pashto and Dari (Farsi), both belonging to the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family.

Religion

Almost all residents of Afghanistan profess Islam, the vast majority of them are Sunnis, and about 15% are Shiites.

Government structure of Afghanistan

According to the current Constitution of 2004, Afghanistan is an Islamic republic in which Islam is the state religion. The head of the country is the President, elected for 5 years.

The bicameral parliament in Afghanistan is called the National Assembly, it consists of two chambers - the House of Elders (102 people) and the House of the People (250 deputies).

To make particularly important decisions (for example, to approve the Constitution), the Council of Elders “Great Assembly” gathers in Afghanistan. The history of the “Great Meetings” goes back centuries and is lost somewhere in the 15th century.

Climate and weather

Most of Afghanistan has a subarctic mountain climate (winters are dry and cold). The rest of Afghanistan has a desert and semi-desert climate. The mountains and valleys bordering Pakistan are exposed to the Indian Ocean monsoons during the summer. In summer the air temperature reaches +49C, and in winter - -9C. Most precipitation falls between October and April. In the mountains, the average annual precipitation is 1,000 mm, and in deserts and semi-deserts - 100 mm.

Rivers and lakes

In the north of Afghanistan flows the Amu Darya River, the tributaries of which are lost in the Hindu Kush. In general, many Afghan rivers are replenished by water flows from the mountains. Other large Afghan rivers are the Harirud (flowing from the central part of the country to the west, forming the border with Iran there), Helmand, Farakhrud, Kabul and Khashrud. By the way, the Kabul River crosses the border with Pakistan and then flows into the Indus River.

Afghan lakes are small in size. Of these, lakes Zarkol (bordering Tajikistan), Shiveh in Badakhshan and the salt lake Istadeh-ye Moqor, located south of Ghazni, should be highlighted.

Afghan culture

Afghanistan is made up of different ethical groups. Therefore, the culture of this country is very diverse.

One of the most important holidays for Afghans is Nowruz, but this is understandable, because... they are mostly Muslim (some experts argue that Nowruz is not a Muslim holiday). In general, Afghans celebrate all the main Islamic holidays - Mawlid-an-Nabi, Eid al-Ada and Eid al-Fitr (we have already mentioned Navruz).

Many Afghan holidays are domestic in nature (they are celebrated with family).

Kitchen

Afghanistan is home to Pashtuns, Tajiks and Uzbeks. This means that Afghan cuisine is a fusion of the culinary traditions of these three peoples. In addition, Indian influence is evident in Afghan cuisine. It was from India that spices (saffron, coriander, cardamom and black pepper) came to Afghanistan. Afghans prefer dishes that are not too spicy and not too hot.

The most popular dishes among Afghans are Qabli Pulao (boiled rice with carrots, raisins and lamb), Kabab (lamb kebab), Qorma (meat with vegetables and fruits), Mantu dumplings, Shorma soup. By the way, Afghans love to eat Qorma with Chalow rice. There are three types of bread in Afghanistan - Naan, Obi Naan and Lavash.

An integral part of the Afghan diet is fresh and dried fruits (grapes, apricots, melons, plums, pomegranates, various berries).

Traditional non-alcoholic drinks - kefir, whey, tea.

Sights of Afghanistan

In ancient times, the territory of modern Afghanistan was part of some of the most ancient states in the world. The ancient Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, reached these lands (and conquered them). Unfortunately, due to numerous wars, many Afghan historical and cultural monuments have already been irretrievably lost. However, this country still has unique attractions. The Top 10 most interesting Afghan attractions, in our opinion, may include the following:

1. Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in Kabul
2. Sherpur Mosque in Kabul
3. Ghazni Fortress
4. Mausoleum of Timur Shah in Kabul
5. Fort in Nuristan
6. Puli Khishti Mosque in Kabul
7. Tomb of Ahmad Shah Masood in Panjshir
8. Mausoleum of Emir Abdurrahman in Kabul
9. Ruins of the Takhti-Pul mosque in Balkh
10. Palace of Emir Habibullah near Kabul

Cities and resorts

The largest cities in Afghanistan are Herat, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kutznduz and, of course, the capital, Kabul.

Afghanistan has excellent conditions for mountaineering and rock climbing. In the northeast of the country there is Mount Nushak, which is part of the Hindu Kush mountain system. Many climbers dream of conquering this peak, but due to the political situation this is not yet possible.

Several years ago, the Afghan authorities opened the Abi-Wakhan mountain route, which runs through the territory of the picturesque gorge of the same name. Once upon a time, a section of this route was part of the Great Silk Road. However, tourists are not in a hurry to come to Afghanistan yet.

Souvenirs/shopping

From Afghanistan, foreigners usually bring handicrafts, carpets, Afghan sheepskin coats, national men's clothing, knives, etc.

Office hours

If we proceed from what has been written about Afghanistan recently in the Western and especially in the Russian press, then approximately the following picture emerges. This country is a godforsaken place where there are almost 20 thousand NATO troops (the exact number is generally unknown to the uninitiated), vested with certain rights and responsibilities, but who for some reason do not see how drug supplies, primarily to Russia, are increasing every day, and through it - to the countries of Western Europe.

Therefore, every Russian researcher, and especially one who knows Afghanistan well, studying this country not only from books and documents, but also through the experience of personal visits, is simply obliged to ask himself the following question: what country does Afghanistan need as a strategic partner in general and what role? Will Russia fulfill this? And what role can it play in Afghanistan in the current situation?

A scientific researcher involved in issues of socio-political optimization would begin to specify this task in this way: does Afghanistan even need a mentor for the future? After all, even now, with the presence of a colossal amount of military intelligence from more than 20 countries, every day in Afghanistan there are explosions, partisan attacks occur (it is high time to stop looking at the problem of the Afghan resistance as exclusively a Taliban problem) on columns of patrol cars, etc. At the same time, the so-called government troops, which, according to official documents, exist in significant numbers (about 30 thousand people), naturally do not fulfill their functions and cannot and do not want to do this. Moreover, some members of the Afghan army are even photographed against the backdrop of damaged armored vehicles and killed soldiers in NATO uniforms.

The question is: does Afghanistan need Russia? - It probably sounds strange. However, this is only at first glance. Indeed, why does modern Afghanistan need some kind of strategic partner, much less a mentor?! Why does Kabul, where the American administration sits, need Russia with its unclear rules of the game, which even the Kremlin itself cannot understand. An example of this is the following: Moscow was asked to pay $10 billion in compensation for the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the same amount of $10 billion was actually recently written off as Afghanistan's government debt to Russia.

And then: what kind of Afghanistan can we talk about today, taking into account the specific conditions of current Afghanistan? Are these the people of Afghanistan? Afghan government? The owners of this guide? Or everything taken together? First, we need to define these specific concepts, as required by any science, especially historical science.

The peoples of Afghanistan have one attitude towards Russia (far from unambiguous). It lies in the fact that he does not care at all about Russia, which the Afghans do not know and do not intend to recognize. They have their own life. Moreover, life is far from those “democratic” values ​​that foreigners bring to the country. In this country in the coming years there can be no talk of any kind of democracy at all. We must not forget that there is no functioning and legitimate government here, here everyone is only for himself (and it cannot be otherwise). And in these conditions, only a person who turns a blind eye to the real life of this region can pose and analyze problems such as the democratic development of Afghan society. It must also always be remembered that the people of Afghanistan have a fierce hatred for the troops present on their territory, and this hatred is hidden behind goodwill, a smile and sometimes a dead look. Although Western media sometimes provide rosy data about the relentless growth of sympathy among the local population for the “peacekeepers” throughout Afghanistan.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the number of coffins from Afghanistan to Europe has created a kind of traffic. These coffins contain the remains of Western liberating soldiers - often with their throats cut and their entrails torn out. This also does not speak in favor of Western propagandists from NATO.

As for the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, they naturally have a different attitude: personal and “American-personal.” Afghanistan for the United States is now a card that is involved in the game not only with Russia, but also with Iran and Israel. The fact is that the issue of establishing diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Israel is currently being worked out, where Washington, due to its global power, can turn things around in a way that is beneficial to it.

Afghan President Karzai - as everyone understands, but pretends not to know - will only do what he is ordered to do. This is explained by the fact that the territory of Afghanistan is already included in the sphere of vital interests of the United States in general and Western European countries in particular. Along with the military-strategic location, we are talking about the country’s natural reserves. The geological exploration data of Soviet specialists, which began during the time of Muhammad Zahir Shah and contains very interesting results, is now being chased by various “specialists” of industrialized countries, including Japan, however, as one would expect in such situations, geological exploration maps go nowhere. then they disappeared.

All negotiations can and should be conducted only with the legitimate government, which, we repeat, still does not exist in Afghanistan. The election results have not been officially presented. Therefore, there is only an unofficial agreement between various forces (including drug lords, who are also field commanders) about who will manage their controlled territory and how.

In this regard, it is generally unclear what caused the persistent increase in the military presence of “peacekeepers” in Afghanistan. One gets the impression that a complex knot in the Eastern policy of Western countries is being tied here.

Therefore, in conditions of economic devastation and political instability, Afghanistan will need Russia solely as a sponsor country or, better yet, as a debtor state obligated to pay reparations for damage caused during the years of its military presence. This position will always be supported by Western countries, which do not intend to allocate large funds for a serious restoration of the country's economic life and the development of large-scale social programs (small projects are another matter).

Russia, on its own, will no longer be able to implement those programs (or even their semblance) that were carried out in Afghanistan during the Soviet Union. However, is it possible to force the Russian leadership to do this - that is the question. In addition, Russia currently does not have a common border with Afghanistan, which significantly complicates the problem of its physical presence in Afghanistan. However, no one seems to be expecting such a presence from Russia.

Afghanistan has practically, seriously speaking, nothing to trade with Russia. There is also nothing to pay for Russian goods (equipment, military equipment, etc.) and services of specialists. There is, of course, foreign aid and so-called drug dollars.

There is also the other side of the question - why does modern Russia need Afghanistan? In this case - to the leadership of the Russian Federation and the Russian people? What is the benefit of cooperation with the current authorities in Afghanistan? In Kabul there are unique representative offices of Russia, for example, a branch of the State Drug Control Service. But there is no particular benefit from this for Russia. Everything was, is and will be controlled only by the Americans. And they will never reveal their cards and say why they need Afghanistan and what NATO troops have forgotten there.

Of course, restoring the Russian presence in Afghanistan is theoretically possible and interesting. And it is necessary. However, this is a very difficult job, for which the Russian leadership has neither the desire, nor the ability, nor the political will. But the main thing is that none of the NATO countries present in Afghanistan are interested in this.

We can talk as much as we want about Russian-Afghan cooperation and even about the prospects for its development. However, such cooperation does not exist at present and is not expected in the near future for a number of reasons. First of all, there is still no Russian policy on the eastern direction in general and on Afghanistan in particular. Besides, who will allow Russia to so easily come to Afghanistan with its own interests?

Useful information for tourists about Afghanistan, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Afghanistan, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Afghanistan.

Geography of Afghanistan

The Republic of Afghanistan is a state in the Middle East. It borders Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the easternmost part of the country.

Afghanistan is a mountainous country: about three-quarters of the territory is occupied by mountains and hills. There are several river valleys in the north, and desert areas in the south and southwest. The main mountain system of the country is the Hindu Kush, which stretches 965 km from the Pamirs in the northeast to the border with Iran in the west.

State

State structure

Afghanistan is an Islamic republic with a presidential form of government.

Language

Official language: Pashto, Dari

Religion

The dominant religion is Islam - it is professed by over 90% of the population. Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism are also widespread, and various autochthonous pagan cults and syncretic beliefs are numerous.

Currency

International name: AFN

Almost throughout the country you can pay in US dollars in shops, but in remote areas only Afghani currency is used. Credit and debit cards are not accepted. Traveler's checks in US dollars or pounds sterling are only used in Kabul banks on a limited basis.

Afghanistan Map

Popular attractions

Tourism in Afghanistan

Popular hotels

Afghan cuisine

The most typical Afghan dish is “shish kebab”, which is a type of shish kebab with pieces of meat, lard and vegetables strung on skewers. Very similar to it are “kofta kebab” or “kofta kebab” (made from minced meat with onions), “shami kebab” from minced meat mixed with egg and vegetable puree, “morgi kebab” (from chicken meat ), “tas-kebab” (beef fried in boiling oil, then boiled in wine) and other “kebabs”, however, upon closer examination, all these dishes are very significantly different from each other, and they are prepared somewhat differently than in others countries of Central Asia. The second most important and widespread dish is pilaf, which also has dozens of types, including “kabli-pilav” or “kabuli-pilav” (pilaf made from rice and lamb with thinly sliced ​​carrots and raisins), as well as “palau-e” -shahi" (pilaf made from rice, lamb, fat tail fat, raisins, pistachios and cloves). Pilaf can use poultry, beef or lamb ribs, as well as various vegetables and many spices.

Also popular are lamb stewed with vegetables, “kormi-sabzi” (stewed beef or lamb with spinach, spices and vegetable side dish), “korma” (the same “kormi-sabzi”, only yellow peas “daul nakhud” are used instead of spinach). , “kofta” or “kofta” (a kind of meatballs), “kurma” (fried poultry meat with onions and tomatoes), lamb “chainaki” stewed in its own juice, as well as many simple dishes from tripe and other offal with rice. Typically, pilaf and other meat dishes are served with yogurt, cheese, salted vegetables “torshi”, hot sauce, as well as various side dishes of meat, grains, vegetables or legumes.

Soups are equally widespread, primarily “shorba” (“shurpa”) with rice or “shorma” with vegetables, river fish “shir-makhi” fried in milk, all kinds of broths (meat is served separately), “mushava” " – bean and yogurt soup and others.

Plant-based dishes include the ubiquitous "burani" ("borani") made from eggplant, onions and tomatoes ("burani-bonzhan" - with yogurt, "kadu-burani" - with pumpkin, etc.), "turshi-bonzhan" (salted stuffed eggplant), "bonjan-salad" (eggplant salad), "olva" (similar to fried semolina porridge), "sher-berinj" (rice pudding), "osh" (noodles with legumes, meat and yogurt), "chutney -gashniz" (chutney with coriander), "osh-pyozi" (stuffed onions), "oshi-zhur-routi" (rice with yellow beans), peculiar dumplings "ashtak" (filled with vegetables, meat and onions), "mantu" (dumplings with meat and onions, really similar to manti), "samushi-yirakot" - (semicircular pies stuffed with vegetables, meat and cheese), as well as simple boiled rice with various seasonings and boiled or fried potatoes ("kartoff- mumulai"). Spices vary widely, from traditional curries or ground grape seeds served with meat dishes, to "khavaye" (a mixture of ground cilantro, black pepper, cumin and turmeric) or a sauce made from black pepper, vinegar and oil.

All dishes are accompanied by flat and long naan flatbreads, which are made from almost any flour that comes to hand (sometimes potatoes or onions are added to the dough), and most often they are not baked, but fried on an iron frying pan in clay ovens or on stones heated in the hearth .

For dessert they serve “firni” (milk pudding with pistachios), dozens of types of halva, “bichak” (a kind of pies made from pumpkin puree with meat, cheese and even jam, served both hot and cold), “gosh-fil” cookies, sweet puddings, as well as candied nuts, vegetables and fruits. The country grows a variety of local fruits for dessert - the sweetest melons (Mazar-Sharif and Mayman ones are especially good), grapes, pomegranates (the best varieties are from Kandahar), apples, pears, apricots, oranges (Jalalabad ones are good), here, plums, and Walnuts, pistachios and almonds are favorite local snacks.

The national drink is without a doubt tea (“teas”), both black and green, which is consumed in incredible quantities. Usually tea is brewed very strong and served without sugar, in a small (2-3 cups) metal teapot.

Alcoholic drinks in this Islamic country can only be found imported and only in establishments aimed at Europeans. The Afghans themselves allow themselves only a special low-alcohol drink made from fermented milk like kumiss.

The most typical Afghan dish is “shish kebab”, which is a type of shish kebab with pieces of meat, lard and vegetables strung on skewers. Very similar to it are “kofta kebab” or “kofta kebab” (made from minced meat with onions), “shami kebab” from minced meat mixed with egg and vegetable puree, “morgi kebab” (from chicken meat ), “tas-kebab” (beef fried in boiling oil, then boiled in wine) and other “kebabs”, however, upon closer examination, all these dishes are very significantly different from each other, and they are prepared somewhat differently than in others countries of Central Asia. The second most important and widespread dish is pilaf, which also has dozens of types, including “kabli-pilav” or “kabuli-pilav” (pilaf made from rice and lamb with thinly sliced ​​carrots and raisins), as well as “palau-e” -shahi" (pilaf made from rice, lamb, fat tail fat, raisins, pistachios and cloves). Pilaf can use poultry, beef or lamb ribs, as well as various vegetables and many spices....

President Vladimir Putin said that the USSR's Afghan campaign was a mistake, but noted that the Soviet military was in the country at the request of the current president. Soviet troops entered Afghanistan on December 25, 1979 and stayed there for 9 years and 1 month. The conflict itself in Afghanistan continues to this day. Many political scientists and historians criticize the invasion of Soviet troops and call it a catalyst for intra-Afghan conflicts. Is this really so and was the Afghan company a mistake - Diletant. media asked experts.

Questions:

Was the Afghan campaign a mistake of the USSR?

Stanislav Eremeev

As you remember, the Soviet Union always had good relations with Afghanistan, and when Afghanistan was overthrown and the armed forces came to power, it seems to me that this was the case when the revolution clearly showed all its depravity. As we know, exporting a revolution is nowhere possible... Geopolitically, and I think Putin spoke about this, any attempt to accelerate historical development, to try to impose certain values ​​on one or another ethnic group without taking into account the characteristics of this people, is doomed to failure. Modern history confirms this.

Gennady Gudkov

This was an absolute mistake, which led to a change in the attitude of the Afghan people towards us, since the Soviet Union used to be the most welcome country there, the Soviet people were the most welcome guests in Afghanistan. We were allowed absolutely everything there. It was an attitude that is rarely seen in international relations. When our army invaded Afghanistan, this attitude changed dramatically. Moreover, it is known that the residency was categorically against the introduction of troops, at least I heard about this from our teachers. At least, the reaction to the information from the station and the embassy was very sharp on the part of the Politburo, and even someone was punished for “biased” and “inaccurate” information. As we see now, they turned out to be right, but the Soviet political leadership, which started this war for the sake of its goals and ambitions, was not. This war did not achieve anything and plunged chaos into Afghanistan itself; today we see illegal Islamists there, incessant wars between different parts of the country, and so on. The Americans made the same mistake when they entered Afghanistan after us. Now we know that the production of the drug is flourishing there, which is now pouring into our country and Europe. Therefore, it is quite obvious that this is a mistake that brought a lot of grief, not so much to the Soviet Union, but to the Afghan population, who suffered colossal losses.

Could the military coup in Afghanistan in 1978, like the subsequent invasion of Soviet troops, have been planned by the Soviet leadership?

Stanislav Eremeev

Many books have been written about the Afghan war, there are many versions. But the main problem is that, having overthrown the official government there, overthrowing the king and bringing the armed forces to power, they were faced with the fact that inside Afghanistan itself those forces that had previously been silent began to move, overthrowing those masses of the totalitarian regime who ruled this country. This gives us parallels, for example, think about the Middle East. Whether it was Hussein, whether it was Gadaffi, these regimes cemented the statehood of these regions, with their departure from the political arena we got chaos. The same thing happened in Afghanistan.

Gennady Gudkov

I'm afraid so. As far as I know, this coup happened because the Soviet Union promised armed support. If these negotiations, consultations and promises had not taken place, such a military coup would hardly have happened. It is clear that there was a king and excellent relations, but it seems to me that the Afghans had to figure out their country themselves, without our intervention, without our tutelage. I no longer remember the nuances so well, but it is quite obvious that this was a serious mistake, and many serious coups, including the storming of Amin’s palace, are a serious mistake. Amin was “our man,” so I think that there was a lot in the Afghan campaign that can only emerge with a subsequent in-depth study of history.

How big is the echo now from the Afghan campaign in Afghanistan and modern Russia?

Stanislav Eremeev

It is no coincidence that at one time the Soviet leadership decided to send troops. Let's not forget the fears that it is from that country that not only an ideological, but also a military threat will come to ours. Our neighboring republics experienced this pressure. The main problem was drug trafficking, and this factor also could not be ignored. In the context of the global confrontation of the Cold War, real, no longer cold wars arose in many parts of our planet. This cold war is reflected in decision-making.

Gennady Gudkov

Now the consequences, of course, are not as acute as they were then. We used to have the expression “Afghan syndrome” - there was a whole generation suffering from it, a generation fighting for someone unknown and for what, and then in their homeland it turned out to be of no use to anyone, especially when there was a change in formations. And this “Afghan Syndrome” - I know a lot about this, because a lot of employees worked in our company, including those who went through Afghanistan, and we saw how different these guys are in their psychotype of behavior. We can now honestly say that we were not very willing to hire people who had been through such hot spots. One could expect any unpredictable reactions from them, and in business this is unacceptable. In general, the “Afghan syndrome” was vaguely reminiscent of what Remarque described in his novels.

Could the Afghan campaign have contributed to the collapse of the USSR?

Stanislav Eremeev

In a systemic crisis, there is never just one reason, there is a whole chain of reasons. In this case, we must directly admit that the Cold War imposed on us turned out to be a heavy burden for our country, aimed by the United States at weakening the Soviet Union. The overstrain that this war brought was the last straw.

Masoud Imani Kalesar, Euronews:"Afghanistan is a country gripped by war and instability for forty years. People, even in the capital, are afraid of becoming victims of suicide attacks and do not know whether they will return home alive in the evening! Most Afghan officials and people believe that endless suicide attacks are responsible and the country's instability is being borne by regional and other foreign powers. Is there hope for peace? And can the Afghan army - in the absence of foreign troops - provide security in the country?

Daily life on the streets of Kabul looks like in any other capital. But that's not true. A surprise suicide attack can happen at any time. More than 10,000 civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan in 2017 alone, hundreds of them in Kabul. Life and death are closely intertwined here. I asked a girl in a cemetery overlooking Kabul what she was doing there? “I came here for a picnic,” she replied.

On April 22, a suicide bombing at a voter registration center in the Dasht-e-Barchi district of Kabul killed 63 people and injured more than 100 others. A month later we visited there."

“Torn pieces of human bodies scattered across neighboring yards. What you see on the wall are pieces of flesh,” says a local resident.

Amrullah Saleh, the former head of the Afghan intelligence service, like many others in his country, notes that people abroad are often indifferent to the endless suffering of Afghans.

Amrullah Saleh:"The blood of the Third World that is shed every day does not have the same value as the blood of the First World. For example, in Europe, if someone is killed with a knife, it makes the headlines. On the same day, hundreds of people die in Afghanistan as a result of a suicide attack, but it doesn't make the headlines."

The main force destabilizing the situation in the country is the Taliban movement. It strives to create, from its point of view, an ideal Islamic state on the territory of Afghanistan - through conflicts, attacks and terrorist attacks. Some Afghan officials directly accuse Pakistan of supporting the Taliban.

Amrullah Saleh:"From our point of view, the government of Pakistan is Satan. Satan in its true sense."

Pakistan's interest in Afghan politics stems from its rivalry with India. But Islamabad categorically denies supporting the Taliban, saying it is itself a victim of terrorism. Whatever the reasons for the conflict, the reality is that Afghan civilians are suffering the most. But peace remains just a dream in a country that has been in conflict for almost 40 years.

Abdullah Abdullah, Prime Minister of Afghanistan:"Achieving peace is the desire of all the Afghan people. Unfortunately, the Afghan government's message of achieving peace is being rejected by those involved in the conflict, particularly the Taliban. I believe that peace will eventually be achieved in this country. The vast majority people in Afghanistan don't want war."

Will the security services and army of Afghanistan be able to protect the country and ensure its security? Young special forces soldiers have no doubt about this.

"Of course we can. We are very well prepared. And when our colleagues from foreign forces leave us, we will take the security of Afghanistan into our own hands," says one of the soldiers.

"We will defend Afghanistan and turn it into a cohesive and united country," the soldier says.

“The special forces will destroy all those who terrorize the people, disturbing the peaceful life of people, wherever they are,” Colonel Nurestani is confident.