Name: Karima WITHHELD and Halima WITHHELD
Age: 17 years old, twins
Gender: Female
Place of birth: Kabul
Ethnicity: Tajik
Date of Rape: August 15, 2023
I am Sharifa, the mother of Karima and Halima.
My husband is one of the ANP soldiers who had to resign from his duty at the beginning of 2021 due to threats.
When the Taliban took over, we had to travel to Takhar province.
My husband was working in the city and because of economic problems, he had to go to Iran via smuggling.
Now my husband is working in Iran and because the value of Iran's currency is very low, he cannot send much money to us.
We are being harassed by the Taliban. They have come to our house many times to propose to my daughters and threaten us.
One of the Taliban commanders named Qari Salam Haqqani (from Paktia province, aged 52) sometimes comes to this province to harass people.
Haqqani told us that 'you are war spoils', and he told his Bodyguard and secretary that these girls are 'ours and we should use them'. Haqqani has 2 wives and wants to marry my daughters.
Haqqani warned us that if we don't accept their proposal, they will take my daughters by force and kill me.
On August 15, 2023, my daughter Halima and I went to the city to buy food, and my daughter Karima was at home with my son.
When we went to the city, we couldn't buy much food because the prices were so high and we didn't have much money.
From 2021 until now, we have not received any help from the United Nations. UN aid that arrives is packed up and is distributed to Taliban families and Pashtun homes.
After shopping, when I arrived home, I saw that my son's hands, feet, eyes and mouth were tied and he was tied to the gate next to the room.
When we opened my son's mouth and eyes, he was crying and calling his sister.
He told me that the Taliban came and forcibly took Karima with them. My son said, the taliban told me to say "hello" to you.
We were not sure what to do and where to go for help.
We went to the police station near the house and I told them about it. The police said, 'Haqqani is a high ranking commander. we can't do anything, if you make too much noise they will kill you.'
After 2 days, a military car came to our house and dropped my daughter off.
The taliban told me that you 'have up to 10 days to prepare your daughters for marriages'.
My daughter was not good. She was too scared to open her eyes, and her clothes were torn and bloody.
We took my daughter to the clinic near our home and they prescribed pain medicine for her. The pain was so bad that my daughter collapsed and passed out.
The next day, we escaped our house at night and moved to Baghlan Province to my brother's house.
In Baghlan, my brother's neighbor, NAME WITHHELD, informed us that there is a team in Kabul that can help you and get you to Kabul.
After a few days, we arrived in Kabul and now the treatment of my daughter Karima is going on and my daughter Halima is also in your safe place. My son is with us also.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for rescuing both my daughters from the brutal tyrants.
I am Karima
On August 25, 2023, my brother and I were at home and I was busy cleaning the house.
Maybe an hour after my mother and sister left to shop, our home gate was opened by force and Taliban armed men entered the house and took me by force and beat and tied my brother's hands and feet.
They dragged me inside a car, covered my eyes and mouth and after a while we reached a house and they left me in a room.
I was alone in the room for hours and I was screaming but no one could hear me.
The gate of the room was opened and 2 people entered the room. The men covered their faces and both started to rape me.
No matter what I screamed they attacked me like an animal and I was unconscious from the pain after a while and don't remember what happened.
When I regained consciousness, I was alone in the corner of the room and a Taliban commander came and told me that 'we will take you to your house and tell your sister to get ready for the wedding', and the next day they took me to our house.
After the attacks, I have severe headaches, nightmares, and severe pain in my whole body. Now my treatment is underway, I feel better.
Thank you for your help.
You saved my sister from being raped like me
You saved my life.