US probes civilian deaths from strike Afghanistan’s ‘Gen Z’ fears for future, freedom

Ious reports say at st nine Afghan lians, including a mber of children, y have died from a drone attack in bul targeting the IS

The American military blishment is learnt to be stigating claims that at least Afghan civilians were killed US drone strike that was carout in Kabul on Sunday to ent a terror attack on the an capital’s airport, accordo a BBC report. e American operation took a car that was carrying at one individual associated the Islamic State group’s an branch, US Central Comd reportedly said. veral news reports said on day that the civilian deaths y included a number of chil, but there has been no conation yet of the human damrom the drone attack. NN reported that the nine ans who would have died the attack were possibly bers of one family, while r-based Al Jazeera has also reporting Afghan civilian alties. e drone attack had come tly after US national security ser Jake Sullivan said there still “serious danger” in ul in terms of more terror ats.

xit will stop Islamic e attacks: Taliban

Taliban’s spokesman said ardline Islamist group will k down on Islamic State (IS) ks and expects them to end foreign forces leave the try. “We hope that those ans who are influenced by will give up their operations eeing the formation of an mic government in the nce of foreigners,” Taliban esman Zabihullah Mujahid AFP in an interview. they create a situation for and continue with their ations, the Islamic governt... we will deal with them,” dded. devastating suicide bomb k claimed by IS outside l airport on Thursday killed

When 20-year-old Salgy found out last week that she had topped some 200,000 students who took Afghanistan’s university entrance exam this year, she was elated.

“That was a moment when I felt someone gifted me the whole world,” Salgy, who like many in the country goes by one name, told Reuters. “My mother cried out of happiness and I cried with her.”

That feeling turned almost immediately to worry when she remembered the events of the previous weeks. “We are faced with a very uncertain future, thinking what will happen next,” Salgy told Reuters. “I think I am the luckiest and unluckiest person.”

Almost two third of Afghans are under the age of 25, and an entire generation cannot even remember the Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until it was toppled by Westernbacked militia in 2001.

During that time they enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, banning girls from school, women from work and carrying out public executions.

Since retaking power, the group has been quick to reassure students that their education would not be disrup also saying it would respec rights of women and urgin ented professionals not to l the country.

But used to a life with phones, pop music and mi of genders, Afghanistan’s “eration Z” - born roughly in decade around the turn of millennium - now fears s freedoms will be taken a according to interviews Afghan students and young fessionals.

A Taliban spokesperson not immediately respon questions for this article.

Many Afghans working overseas organisations tried to flee the country in last two weeks. Besides sa young people Reuters spok said they worried other h won freedoms could be ta away. Secondary school en ment rose from 12% in 20 55% in 2018, according to World Bank.

Today, Afghanistan ha estimated 170 radio stati over 100 newspapers and ens of TV stations. That’s n mention smartphones and internet - non-existent u Taliban rule - giving young ple access to events bey Afghanistan’s borders, Elaha Tamim, an 18-year who also just passed her un sity entrance exam.