The world's focus has shifted to the war in Ukraine, but two major new documentaries aim to throw the spotlight back on Afghanistan, and the people left behind by the United States' rapid withdrawal last year.

National Geographic's 'Retrograde'&nbsp;follows an Afghan general who tried in vain to hold back the Taliban advance in 2021, while Netflix's 'In Her Hands'&nbsp;tells the story of the country's youngest woman mayor, who had to flee as the Islamists took over.

"We've forgotten about this story -- when was the last time we discussed the war in Afghanistan, or read an article about it?" said "Retrograde" director Matthew Heineman.&nbsp;

"Obviously there's still some coverage of it, but... not that many people are talking about this country that we left behind."

Zarifa Ghafari, the former mayor spotlighted by "In Her Hands," told AFP that back under the Taliban, Afghanistan is "the only country around the world nowadays where a woman can sell their body, their children, anything else, but are not able to go to school."

But at international political meetings, "Afghanistan is out of those discussions."

Both movies begin in the months before the US withdrawal, as their subjects tried to build a safer and more egalitarian future for their country.

The two films end with their central characters forced to watch from abroad as the Taliban rapidly erases all their work.

"Retrograde" began as a documentary with rare inside access to US special forces.

In one early scene, US troops are shown having to destroy -- or retrograde -- their equipment and wastefully fire off excess ammunition that was sorely needed by their Afghan allies.

After the Americans left their base in Helmand, Afghan general Sami Sadat agreed to let Heineman's cameras stay and follow him, as he took charge of the ultimately doomed effort to stave off Taliban advances.

In one scene, Sadat -- stubbornly determined to rally his men to fight on as the situation crumbles around them -- chides his aide for bringing to his war office persistent reports of nearby Afghan troops downing their weapons.

"Every neon sign was saying 'stop, give up, this is over,' and he had this blind faith that maybe, just maybe, if he held on to Lashkar Gah or Helmand, that they could beat back the Taliban," recalled Heineman.&nbsp;

Sadat eventually had to flee, and the filmmakers shifted their lens again, to desperate scenes at Kabul airport as Afghans fought for spaces on the last American planes out.

"It was one of the most difficult things I've ever witnessed in my career," added Heineman, who was nominated for an Oscar for 2015's "Cartel Land."

"Discussions around wars in public policy and foreign policy, they're often talked about and discussed without the human element," said the director.

"One of the things I've tried to do throughout my career is take these large, amorphous subjects and put a human face to them."

- 'Murder' -

Former mayor Ghafari had survived assassination attempts and seen her father gunned down by the Taliban before she too left Afghanistan as the Islamists moved in.&nbsp;

"Talking about that moment, I'm still not able to stop crying... it was something that I really never wanted to do," said Ghafari, who drew the Taliban's ire by campaigning for girls' education after being appointed mayor of Maidan Shahr aged 24.

"I had some personal responsibilities, especially after the murder of my dad... to help secure my family."

The directors of "In Her Hands," which counts Hillary Clinton among its executive producers, returned to Afghanistan and filmed Ghafari's former driver Massoum, now unemployed and living under the Taliban.

In unsettling scenes, he is seen bonding with the same fighters who once attacked the car in which he was driving Ghafari.

"The story of Massoum represents the story of all Afghanistan's crisis... why people are feeling betrayed," said Ghafari.

- 'Share their pain' -

Though the conflicts in Afghanistan and Ukraine are vastly different in nature, both films offer a cautionary tale about what can happen once the West's focus shifts.

"Obviously, that's happened throughout history, and will continue to happen long into the future. And so what can we learn from this experience?" said Heineman.

Ghafari said: "Whatever happens in Ukraine and happened in Ukraine, it's the same thing that we have been going through for like 60 years.

"The same thing, again and again. So we share their pain."

The world's focus has shifted to the war in Ukraine, but two major new documentaries aim to throw the spotlight back on Afghanistan, and the people left behind by the United States' rapid withdrawal last year.

The world's focus has shifted to the war in Ukraine, but two major new documentaries aim to throw the spotlight back on Afghanistan, and the people left behind by the United States' rapid withdrawal last year. National Geographic's 'Retrograde' follows an Afghan general who tried in vain to hold back the Taliban advance in 2021, while Netflix's 'In Her Hands' tells the story of the country's youngest woman mayor, who had to flee as the Islamists took over. "We've forgotten about this story -- when was the last time we discussed the war in Afghanistan, or read an article about it?" said "Retrograde" director Matthew Heineman. "Obviously there's still some coverage of it, but... not that many people are talking about this country that we left behind." Zarifa Ghafari, the former mayor spotlighted by "In Her Hands," told AFP that back under the Taliban, Afghanistan is "the only country around the world nowadays where a woman can sell their body, their children, anything else, but are not able to go to school." But at international political meetings, "Afghanistan is out of those discussions." Both movies begin in the months before the US withdrawal, as their subjects tried to build a safer and more egalitarian future for their country. The two films end with their central characters forced to watch from abroad as the Taliban rapidly erases all their work. "Retrograde" began as a documentary with rare inside access to US special forces. In one early scene, US troops are shown having to destroy -- or retrograde -- their equipment and wastefully fire off excess ammunition that was sorely needed by their Afghan allies. After the Americans left their base in Helmand, Afghan general Sami Sadat agreed to let Heineman's cameras stay and follow him, as he took charge of the ultimately doomed effort to stave off Taliban advances. In one scene, Sadat -- stubbornly determined to rally his men to fight on as the situation crumbles around them -- chides his aide for bringing to his war office persistent reports of nearby Afghan troops downing their weapons. "Every neon sign was saying 'stop, give up, this is over,' and he had this blind faith that maybe, just maybe, if he held on to Lashkar Gah or Helmand, that they could beat back the Taliban," recalled Heineman. Sadat eventually had to flee, and the filmmakers shifted their lens again, to desperate scenes at Kabul airport as Afghans fought for spaces on the last American planes out. "It was one of the most difficult things I've ever witnessed in my career," added Heineman, who was nominated for an Oscar for 2015's "Cartel Land." "Discussions around wars in public policy and foreign policy, they're often talked about and discussed without the human element," said the director. "One of the things I've tried to do throughout my career is take these large, amorphous subjects and put a human face to them." - 'Murder' - Former mayor Ghafari had survived assassination attempts and seen her father gunned down by the Taliban before she too left Afghanistan as the Islamists moved in. "Talking about that moment, I'm still not able to stop crying... it was something that I really never wanted to do," said Ghafari, who drew the Taliban's ire by campaigning for girls' education after being appointed mayor of Maidan Shahr aged 24. "I had some personal responsibilities, especially after the murder of my dad... to help secure my family." The directors of "In Her Hands," which counts Hillary Clinton among its executive producers, returned to Afghanistan and filmed Ghafari's former driver Massoum, now unemployed and living under the Taliban. In unsettling scenes, he is seen bonding with the same fighters who once attacked the car in which he was driving Ghafari. "The story of Massoum represents the story of all Afghanistan's crisis... why people are feeling betrayed," said Ghafari. - 'Share their pain' - Though the conflicts in Afghanistan and Ukraine are vastly different in nature, both films offer a cautionary tale about what can happen once the West's focus shifts. "Obviously, that's happened throughout history, and will continue to happen long into the future. And so what can we learn from this experience?" said Heineman. Ghafari said: "Whatever happens in Ukraine and happened in Ukraine, it's the same thing that we have been going through for like 60 years. "The same thing, again and again. So we share their pain."

'Forgotten' Afghan stories highlighted in two new films from Netflix, Nat Geo

Famed &quot;Afghan Girl&quot;, who appeared on the June cover of National Geographic in 1985, has been arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday in Pakistan&rsquo;s Peshawar, FIA sources have been quoted as saying by the Pakistan daily, the Dawn.&nbsp;

Sharbat Bibi has been arrested for the forgery of a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), the FIA sources said.

According to Dawn, FIA sources said Bibi had both Pakistani and Afghan ID cards in her possession.

Bibi has been charged under Section 419, 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of Prohibition of Corruption Act, reported Dawn.&nbsp;

An FIA official said the officer who issued the ID cards to Sharbat Bibi is now working as a deputy commissioner in customs and got bail-before-arrest to avoid arrest in the case, the Dawn reported.&nbsp;

Last year, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued three CNICs to Sharbat Bibi and two men who claimed to be her sons, according to Dawn.&nbsp;

Issuance of CNICs was in violation to the rules and procedures of NADRA.

The official added that relatives present at the given address have refused to recognise two persons listed as her sons in the form.

An inquiry had been launched with NADRA officials under fire for issuing CNICs to foreign nationals without legitimate documentation, Dawn noted.

The famous &ldquo;Afghan Girl&rdquo; was photographed by photographer Steve McCurry in 1984 at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp situated on the edge of Peshawar.

(WION)

Sharbat Bibi has been arrested for forgery of a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), the FIA sources said

Famed "Afghan Girl", who appeared on the June cover of National Geographic in 1985, has been arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday in Pakistan’s Peshawar, FIA sources have been quoted as saying by the Pakistan daily, the Dawn. Sharbat Bibi has been arrested for the forgery of a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), the FIA sources said. According to Dawn, FIA sources said Bibi had both Pakistani and Afghan ID cards in her possession. Bibi has been charged under Section 419, 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of Prohibition of Corruption Act, reported Dawn. An FIA official said the officer who issued the ID cards to Sharbat Bibi is now working as a deputy commissioner in customs and got bail-before-arrest to avoid arrest in the case, the Dawn reported. Last year, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued three CNICs to Sharbat Bibi and two men who claimed to be her sons, according to Dawn. Issuance of CNICs was in violation to the rules and procedures of NADRA. The official added that relatives present at the given address have refused to recognise two persons listed as her sons in the form. An inquiry had been launched with NADRA officials under fire for issuing CNICs to foreign nationals without legitimate documentation, Dawn noted. The famous “Afghan Girl” was photographed by photographer Steve McCurry in 1984 at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp situated on the edge of Peshawar. (WION)

National Geographic's famed 'Afghan Girl' arrested in Pakistan: Reports

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'Forgotten' Afghan stories highlighted in two new films from Netflix, Nat Geo

National Geographic's famed 'Afghan Girl' arrested in Pakistan: Reports