Afghan Student Who Lost An Eye In Terror Attack Vows To Fight For Change

In Kabul, Afghanistan, Fatima Amiri was attending her college entrance exam preparation class when gunshots rang out. Chaos ensued as a man with a gun began firing at the students. Amidst the panic, Amiri tried to calm her classmates, but when she turned around, she saw the horrifying sight of the gunman targeting students deliberately.

Amiri, only 17 years old, experienced the devastating effects of the explosion that followed. She lost an eye, an eardrum, and suffered severe damage to her jaw. The explosion claimed the lives of 54 other students, mostly girls.

The Shiite minority in Afghanistan, to which Amiri belongs, has long been targeted and persecuted. Amiri resides in Dasht-e-Barchi, a neighborhood in western Kabul predominantly occupied by Shiites. Terrorists have been relentlessly attacking Shiite mosques, schools, athletic clubs, and cultural centers. In a particularly horrific incident, a maternity ward was assaulted in 2020, resulting in the deaths of 20 civilians, including women and newborn babies.

Amiri was aware of the security risks of attending school, but she never anticipated the day when a terrorist would threaten her life in a classroom.

Despite the trauma she endured, Amiri displayed unwavering determination. Two weeks after the attack, she appeared for a university entrance exam and emerged as one of the highest scorers.

Amiri defiantly stated, “I want to tell the terrorists that no matter how much oppression you impose on us, you can’t defeat us! Your attacks inspire us to rise again and again.”

The international community, including the UN Security Council and world leaders, condemned the attack on the Kaaj education center in Kabul. However, the Afghan political regimes failed to implement effective security measures to safeguard the Shiite population, leaving them feeling increasingly marginalized under the Taliban.

In recognition of her bravery and resilience, the BBC included Amiri on their list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2022.

The attack occurred following the Taliban’s ban on girls’ schools beyond the sixth grade in Afghanistan after they seized power in the summer of 2021. Nevertheless, young Afghans like Amiri retain hope that the international community will exert pressure on the Taliban to respect girls’ right to education and women’s right to work.

Amiri appealed to the international community, saying, “I appeal to the international community to do something for Afghan women and girls. Hear their voice and take action. It’s almost two years now that schools are closed for girls. There is the possibility that the university will be closed too. Currently, the situation is hard. Afghan women and girls can’t work.”

Amiri’s prediction of a restriction on higher education for girls materialized when the Taliban imposed a complete ban on women’s access to universities on December 20. Five days later, the regime also ordered non-governmental organizations to prevent women from coming to work. Despite the international community’s strong condemnation of the ban, Taliban leaders have stated that they will not compromise.