Name: Maria
Age: 13 years old
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Uzbek/Tajik
Date of Assault: May 05, 2023
My father was a military officer of the previous government, and after the fall of our government, we had to leave Kabul province for Faryab because our house in Kabul was owned by the government.
In Faryab, my father used to sell vegetables, sometimes fruits, and sometimes clothes in the street. He earned 2$ to 4$ daily.
Unfortunately, the Taliban came to Faryab and took our house and gave it to the Pashtuns. So we had to leave our house again and move to one of the villages of Takhar Province in my uncle's house.
On 03 May 2023, we were playing with my uncle children's near the house.
Suddenly many armed Taliban men came and gathered all the people in the village. They said “you all have 30 days to leave your homes”.
I (and other children) were crying, and one of the Taliban men came to us and told us, “don't cry, beautiful girls.”
We went home and our family was sad and worried about what to do and where to go.
The next morning, we were playing outside again and some military vehicles came and took one or more people from each house. My father and my uncle were taken. The Taliban told the other families, “we are going to take them to the police station. After we talk to them, we will bring them back.”
The night passed and there was no news from my father, my uncle and the other people the Taliban took.
The next morning we were playing outside again and the same Taliban army man came - the one who said we are beautiful - and asked me in Farsi “how are you, do you want to see your father?”
I said yes!
He told me to come, “your father is down the road, I will take you there to him.”
I said, you should talk to my mother and my brother. He said “no need, your father is near.. you see that car near the road?” I said yes!
He said “your father is in the car, let's go!”
I was also happy and ran fast towards the car. When I got close to the car, the windows were black. I grabbed the handle to open the car door and the driver and another man jumped out and grabbed me.
They pushed me into the car and covered my head.
When the other children saw me run towards the car, some ran towards our house to get my family.
After a long time, the car stopped and they took me out from the car. I was crying and telling them to take me back. I asked where is my father, where is my uncle?
The man said that “these other people do not understand what you are saying, they do not understand your language.”
They took me to a room inside a home, and there was women's clothing all over the room. They told me that “if I cry, they will kill me with a knife, not a gun.”
They left me in the room and later, three Taliban came into the room and raped me.
I started to bleed a lot after a while and they gave me a white cloth and said “go and clean yourself”.
I collapsed and after a while, I woke up. I saw that my vagina and anus were covered with a white cloth. The bleeding stopped.
They brought me bread and water and then started to rape me again.
I was with them for 10 days and they repeatedly raped me.
On the 11th day, I was very sick and weak. They took me to a Police station and called my father. They told my father that “someone had kidnapped your daughter, we saved her, and you need to take your daughter to the health clinic.”
They told my father that “if your daughter says anything, it should be confidential with you. If anyone finds out, it will not be good for you - it is better to keep your mouth shut”.
When we came to the clinic, they gave me medicine and said that we should go to Takhar city center or Kabul province as soon as possible. They’d didn’t have the ability to care for my injuries and blood loss.
I was kept for the night at the clinic and the next day we went home. My uncle talked to the imam of the mosque, he was a kind person and he put us in touch with your team and helped us get to Kabul for your help.
Currently, my treatment is ongoing and I thank you for your services.