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It started in 1979 when Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread live mines.
This means that you have to be brave in order to venture into Afghanistan. Tourists are not particularly welcome. For the adventurous, who have their mind set on going there, the most sensible thing to do might be crossing the Khyber Pass from Pakistan and move on to Jalalabad. You are on the road to Kabul now, but it may be an idea to turn back.... It should be noted that attacks on foreigners have increased dramatically since 2003 and it would be highly unwise for foreigners to travel without an armed escort.
Another option might be to come from Uzbekistan and convince a cabby to take you from Termez to Mazar-i-sharif (do visit the ruins in Balkh when you are there - and back in a day. I haven't heard recent reports of anyone doing it, but did discuss it with a cab-driver in Samarkand. He was willing but expensive.
Herat, close to the Iranian border, has always been a relatively relaxed place for travelers. Though Irano-Afghan relationship dropped to an all-time low, it is possible to cross the border here. Valid passports and visas are required, though a visit to the State of Israel will prevent you from entering Iran.
Kabul, the capital and largest city, had an estimated 1,424,400 inhabitants in 1988, but possibly less than 1 million in 1995 because so much of it has been destroyed. The city was once distinguished in Afghanistan for its well-lighted streets and modern buildings, but virtually no electricity exists anymore, and many of Kabul's structures have been reduced to rubble. Other important cities are Kandahar or Qandahar (225,500) in the south, which is dominated by Pashtun tribes; Herat (177,300) in the west, with a dominant Tajik and Pashton population; and Mazar-e Sharif (130,600) in the north, also with a dominant Tajik and Pashton population. Other, towns include Jalalabad in the east, with a Pashtun majority; Charikar just north of Kabul, with mixed ethnicity; Andkhvoy and Maimaneh in the north in Uzbek country; and Kondoz, Feyzabad (Faizabad), and Baghlan, also in the north with a dominant Tajik ethnicity. Along with a number of other places, Herat and Kandahar have been extensively damaged in both the war with the Soviets and the later civil war. Other towns suffered less extensive damage and have been partly rebuilt. Difficulties with water quality and public transportation continue to exist from before the war.
Culture
The culture of Afghanistan reflects its ancient roots and position as a crossroads for invading ethnic groups and traditions. Little the Afghans make is unattractive; even common grain bags to carry produce to market are often embroidered to make them more beautiful. A camel caravan of nomads often looks like a circus parade, with the animals decked out in woven finery. The Islamic traditions of fine calligraphy and graphic arts are evoked in the fine filigreed flourishes that decorate many buildings. Poetry and poets are revered. Although the people of Afghanistan may have been sorely stressed by centuries of warfare and a difficult environment, their arts have prospered nonetheless.
The strongest tie among these various groups is their Islamic religion. The overwhelming majority of Afghans (about 99 percent) are Muslims. About 84 percent of Afghan Muslims are Sunnites and about 15 percent are Shiites (mostly the Hazaras and Tajiks). Small groups of Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, and Jews are scattered in the towns. Since the 1960s many Afghan Jews have been able to migrate to Israel. Mazar-e Sharif, where the tomb of the Muslim leader Ali is said to be located in a 15th-century mosque, is a leading place of Muslim pilgrimage. Scattered throughout Afghanistan are the flag-covered graves of saintlike people who are revered and petitioned for help in childbearing, settlement of disputes, moral leadership, or in other capacities.
An important figure in Muslim life in Afghanistan is the mullah (a male religious leader or teacher). Any man who can recite the Koran (the sacred scripture of Islam) from memory can be a mullah, but the mullah may not understand either the words or the meaning, since the book was written and is memorized in Arabic, which is not a local language. The mullah conducts the Friday sermon and prayers, marriages, and funerals. Mullahs also teach the laws and doctrines of Islam to both adults and children. Mullahs arbitrate local disputes, based upon Islamic legal principles, and they are also called upon to provide advice and resolution of many other physical, social, and personal problems, including such things as medicines, local water disputes, or a family feud. In some of the more remote rural areas, the local mullah and the local khan (landlord) dictate what their followers may or may not do.
Last edited by Anna (10:11, 19 November 2005)
its all wrong
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by John Mahoski on 12 June 2006
Most of your Point of views are Paki like, its all - point of view I have gone to afghanistan 2 times once in 1967 and again in 2003. So I came here to find some more Info, but you guys have bad service.