“They attempted to kill me while I was praying. I lost three fingers. When the torment became unbearable, I brought my wife and children here and left everything behind.”

I had an antique shop in Afghanistan. On the day the Taliban came, I was in praying in my shop. “Why didn’t you go to the mosque?” they asked. I didn’t answer because I was praying. (I performed the noon prayer around 3 o’clock in the afternoon.) One of the men hit me with the butt end of his rifle and kicked me. I didn’t speak because I was in prayer. 

I put my hand on the iron door. He kicked the door, and my hand got caught in between.

I passed out on the spot. They abandoned me and left. Other shop owners drove me to the hospital. When I regained consciousness, I realised they had cut my fingers.

They tormented me again when I went to the shop. So, we left everything behind.

I could work before I lost my wife. But I can’t work anymore, and neither can my daughter. My son was injured and needed emergency surgery. My other daughter is a seamstress. She can only provide for her own family.Life is difficult… Very difficult… It’s difficult in every way…