In Afghanistan - a country where bad news is more the rule than the exception, 2015 was a particularly violent year. Anti Government Elements (AGEs), such as the Taliban and ISIS, continued to gain territorial ground across the country at the expense of significant Afghan casualties. According to the latest UN report (UNAMA February 14, 2016), 2015 saw the highest number of civilian casualties, reaching a new record of 11,000. Children continue to be some of the most prominent victims, being recruited into radicalised groups to conduct ongoing terror attacks on their communities and countries. In the hundreds of thousands, record numbers of Afghans are fleeing the chaos, risking their lives to illegally enter Iran and Turkey with the goal to continue to Europe. But amid the fear and violence, youth who also make up more than half of Afghanistan’s population continue to hold on to hope. Afghan millennials who were born between 1980, the first year of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and 2001, the beginning of the US-led military intervention, demonstrate great resilience and hope. When I first began to meet these Afghan millennials - some of the best and brightest of their generation - they were optimistic almost to a fault. Determined to bring their beleaguered but beloved country into the light, 2015 has put their commitment to the test. Rather than making every effort to leave and seek asylum in Europe, the secular youth captured in ‘Born In War’ have stayed and strived to transform their war-torn country into a more secure and prosperous place to live. This series depicts a generation that has known only war and documents a subculture little known beyond its borders. These millennials are a light that flickers in a land so full of darkness. Many of these young men and women feel that their generation has found its voice, and it is important for the world to know it exists. ‘Born In War’ captures a courageous generation that fights for every strain of light in the midst of constant conflict. (2013-16)
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FAIZABAD, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-12-14 | An over view of Kookcha river in the town of Faizabad, just before the sun sets.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-17 | M. (23), an afghan rapper and part of a duet band from Herat, hangs out at Aria Cafe on a hot Friday afternoon. Born and raised in Iran, M. is critical of afghan government and that is boldly seen in his music as well as his lifestyle.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-09 | A mix group of students socialize in between exams as they sit together inside Kabul university campus. While social media is allowing the youth to socialize and keep in touch without having to go through the family, it still an odd seen to see a mix group sit together, even on liberal campus of Kabul university.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-10 | An young ANP officer uses a computer on his spare time to check his Facebook account at an internet cafe in Goolaei, northern Kabul.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-19 | A teenage boy undergoes a cosmetic surgery for hair implantation at one of the few cosmetic clinics in Kabul. In the recent years, it has become more acceptable and common to have cosmetic surgery, Dr. Hamkar says, with most men and women, often young, approching him for nose job, eyelid surgery, laser hair removal or hair implantation.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-10 | Young Afghan men, all in their early 20s, socialize and smoke hooka at Cafe Che, in Western Kabul. Cafe Che is one of the fewer cafes that have become very popular among young people in mixed groups as a meeting place.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-16 | Cactus Cafe is the newest addition to Kabul's trendy cafe scene, that has a beautiful patin and indoor stage that different music bands take it over every night. In the past, the culture of "cafe neshini" (hanging out at cafes) was a manly activity where as now, in the recent years, it has become very popular among afghan girls and boys, especially in western kabul. Everyday a new cafe pops out in Pule Surkh in Karte 3 neighborhood.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-05 | Qasem, a young afghan musician, plays the base on stage at one of the very few underground bars remained in Kabul.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-05-22 | The first female national team of cycling of Afghanistan, made up of 14 to 23 year old brave girls, practice once several times a week just outside of Kabul, cautious for their safety.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-20 | Students attending the second shift of Nur Muhammad Shah all-girl school pour into the hallways on a Monday morning. This shool, located on the hill (Sar-e Tappa) in Karte Now neighborhood, admits 13,000 girls over 5 shifts from grade 1 to 12. Under Taliban regime, girls were not allowed to attend schools. Now, 14 years later, thousands and thousands of girls in black uniform and white headscarves, passionately walk to their schools everyday here in Kabul.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-05-24 | Nursing students treat the wounds of an injured young girl at the Emergency Hospital, run by the Italians in Kabul.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-11 | Paradise, a young afghan rapper and part of a duo band, prepares to shoot their latest music video. Most of their songs concern social justice and women's rights abuse in Afghanistan. Paradise with her partner in music and life, Diverse, had fled afghanistan in the past following a series of death threat but have now returned to their home country to produce work while remaining low-key.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-21 | Young Afghan men await their turn to do a trial shoot for a male modelling agency. Inside a small photo studio in Karte 3 neighbourhood, a group of young fashion photographers have come together to organize the first male modelling agency. Hundreds of young afghan men showed up to the audition and only 20 made the cut.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-06 | On a Monday night, Nargis, Omar and Abdullah visits Shah Do Shamshireh Mosque, where Farkhunda was attacked and beaten to death, to lit candles in her memory. Youth from all across Kabul, have been lighting candles at this place every nights since Farkhunda's death.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-13 | Students at Faculty of Music at Kabul University, some in the classical program, other in traditional music, rehearse together for an upcoming orchestra playing for a national holiday.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-01 | The young and talented cast and crew behind the scenes of "Shereen's Law", a very controversial TV series due to be aired on Afghan TV before the end of the year, tells the story of a 36-year-old woman who brings up three children on her own while forging a career as a clerk at a court in Kabul, while the main character, Shereen, fights corruption, harassment, and rape, and tries to divorce her husband, whom she wed in a forced marriage.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-13 | A group of students work on their projects inside a painting class at Kabul University Faculty of Fine Arts.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-21 | Inside a small photo studio in Karte 3 neighbourhood, a group of young fashion photographers have come together to organize the first male modelling agency. Hundreds of young afghan men showed up to the audition and only 20 made the cut.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-05-24 | A 16 year old pashto girl was married off to her cousin as a child bride. While she was praying her brother-in-law shot both of her legs and left her paralyzed for life. She has been abandoned by her family and spent her time between a women's shelter and the emergency hospital where she has been undergoing surgeries to improve her state of health.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-20 | Students attending the second shift of Nur Muhammad Shah all-girl school attend their classes on a Monday morning. This shool, located on the hill (Sar-e Tappa) in Karte Now neighborhood, admits 13,000 girls over 5 shifts from grade 1 to 12. Under Taliban regime, girls were not allowed to attend schools. Now, 14 years later, thousands and thousands of girls in black uniform and white headscarves, passionately walk to their schools everyday here in Kabul.
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MAZAR SHARIF, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-10-10 | Samir Ahmed (24) left Afghanistan in 2007 when he was only 17 years old. His anther was an Uzbak member of Taliban and was pressuring him to join the insurgency as well. On the other hand the government continuously arrases Samir because of his father's affiliation with Taliban, banning him from going to university and chasing him from one city to another. Samir lived in UK for 8 years and was deported back to Afghanistan in 2014 after appealing the verdict in the court twice. He now lives in hiding in Samangan, northern Afghanistan, where heavy fighting is spreading from Badakhshan and Kunduz to his home village.
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ISLAM QALA, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-14 | A minor afghan boy awaits inside the registration centre at Islam Qala border, after he was caught and deported from Iran. On this specific day, 40 buses (an estimated 1600) deportees were unloaded at the border. Most of them are young men, migrated for work or hoping to reach europe, but on occasions there are minors as well as elderly and families.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-20 | Students attending the second shift of Nur Muhammad Shah all-girl school attend their classes on a Monday morning. This shool, located on the hill (Sar-e Tappa) in Karte Now neighborhood, admits 13,000 girls over 5 shifts from grade 1 to 12. Under Taliban regime, girls were not allowed to attend schools. Now, 14 years later, thousands and thousands of girls in black uniform and white headscarves, passionately walk to their schools everyday here in Kabul.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-06 | Zhala (16) plays a cover of Avril Lavigne's song in her room while her younger brother and older sister sing along.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-25 | Every evening young Afghan artists, musicians and poets come together in the basement of cafe Taj Begum, a large and lively cafe in Karte 3 neighbourhood by Pule Surkh (Red Bridge). In the past, the culture of "cafe neshini" (hanging out at cafes) was a manly activity where as now, in the recent years, it has become very popular among afghan girls and boys, especially in western kabul. Everyday a new cafe pops out in Pule Surkh in Karte 3 neighborhood.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-01 | The young and talented cast and crew behind the scenes of "Shereen's Law", a very controversial TV series due to be aired on Afghan TV before the end of the year, tells the story of a 36-year-old woman who brings up three children on her own while forging a career as a clerk at a court in Kabul, while the main character, Shereen, fights corruption, harassment, and rape, and tries to divorce her husband, whom she wed in a forced marriage.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-11 | A young woman refreshes her make up while hanging out with her friends, all in their early 20s, at Cafe Honar, in western Kabul. Cafe Honar, that opened up less than a year ago, is a meeting place for artists, musicians, journalists and progressive youth where they all hang out and mingle in mixed groups. Cafe Honar, used to be a meeting place for artists, musicians, journalists and progressive youth where they all hang out and mingle in mixed groups but was shut down in the Fall of 2014 after a mullah and his followers put out threats against the owner.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-19 | Behind the closed doors of a highly secured bar, Usuf (18) spends his evening with his friends hanging out at one of the very few underground bars remained in Kabul.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-28 | Members of afghan girls national boxing team practice and exercise weekly with their male coach, Mr Sharifi, at Olympic Stadium in Kabul. Most of them believe that boxing has given them confidence and independence in their personal life as well.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-27 | After a long day of distributions, volunteers working with a grassroots afghan NGO, all very young university students, ride a bus back to their base to end their weekly mission, blanket and warm clothes drive to those families in need.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-28 | Members of afghan girls national boxing team practice and exercise weekly with their male coach, Mr Sharifi, at Olympic Stadium in Kabul. Most of them believe that boxing has given them confidence and independence in their personal life as well.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-17 | A group of young afghans play bowling at the only bowling club in Kabul, Shahre Now.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-09 | Kabul university students use the mobile phone inside the campus in between exams. When asked what is the main use of smart phone for them, their answers were all the same: call, text, email and Facebook. The use of smart phones and tablets among Afghans have become so popular that phone companies compete to offer better and cheaper data plans.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-26 | Rehearsal of "Death Puzzle", an experimental play, by Kaveh Ayreek and his crew, Mim theatre group.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-17 | A group of young afghans, mostly raised in iran, gather around the bonfire at a friends backyard to celebrate 'Chahar Shane Soori', the iranian end-of-year fire festival.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-12 | Every Friday the Shahre Now park fills up with hundreds of young afghan men who come to the park to play volleyball, soccer or cricket.
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KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-13 | A theatre student rehearses a play in her classroom at Theatre Department od Kabul University.
FAIZABAD, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-12-14 | An over view of Kookcha river in the town of Faizabad, just before the sun sets.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-17 | M. (23), an afghan rapper and part of a duet band from Herat, hangs out at Aria Cafe on a hot Friday afternoon. Born and raised in Iran, M. is critical of afghan government and that is boldly seen in his music as well as his lifestyle.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-09 | A mix group of students socialize in between exams as they sit together inside Kabul university campus. While social media is allowing the youth to socialize and keep in touch without having to go through the family, it still an odd seen to see a mix group sit together, even on liberal campus of Kabul university.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-10 | An young ANP officer uses a computer on his spare time to check his Facebook account at an internet cafe in Goolaei, northern Kabul.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-19 | A teenage boy undergoes a cosmetic surgery for hair implantation at one of the few cosmetic clinics in Kabul. In the recent years, it has become more acceptable and common to have cosmetic surgery, Dr. Hamkar says, with most men and women, often young, approching him for nose job, eyelid surgery, laser hair removal or hair implantation.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-10 | Young Afghan men, all in their early 20s, socialize and smoke hooka at Cafe Che, in Western Kabul. Cafe Che is one of the fewer cafes that have become very popular among young people in mixed groups as a meeting place.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-16 | Cactus Cafe is the newest addition to Kabul's trendy cafe scene, that has a beautiful patin and indoor stage that different music bands take it over every night. In the past, the culture of "cafe neshini" (hanging out at cafes) was a manly activity where as now, in the recent years, it has become very popular among afghan girls and boys, especially in western kabul. Everyday a new cafe pops out in Pule Surkh in Karte 3 neighborhood.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-05 | Qasem, a young afghan musician, plays the base on stage at one of the very few underground bars remained in Kabul.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-05-22 | The first female national team of cycling of Afghanistan, made up of 14 to 23 year old brave girls, practice once several times a week just outside of Kabul, cautious for their safety.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-20 | Students attending the second shift of Nur Muhammad Shah all-girl school pour into the hallways on a Monday morning. This shool, located on the hill (Sar-e Tappa) in Karte Now neighborhood, admits 13,000 girls over 5 shifts from grade 1 to 12. Under Taliban regime, girls were not allowed to attend schools. Now, 14 years later, thousands and thousands of girls in black uniform and white headscarves, passionately walk to their schools everyday here in Kabul.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-05-24 | Nursing students treat the wounds of an injured young girl at the Emergency Hospital, run by the Italians in Kabul.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-11 | Paradise, a young afghan rapper and part of a duo band, prepares to shoot their latest music video. Most of their songs concern social justice and women's rights abuse in Afghanistan. Paradise with her partner in music and life, Diverse, had fled afghanistan in the past following a series of death threat but have now returned to their home country to produce work while remaining low-key.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-21 | Young Afghan men await their turn to do a trial shoot for a male modelling agency. Inside a small photo studio in Karte 3 neighbourhood, a group of young fashion photographers have come together to organize the first male modelling agency. Hundreds of young afghan men showed up to the audition and only 20 made the cut.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-06 | On a Monday night, Nargis, Omar and Abdullah visits Shah Do Shamshireh Mosque, where Farkhunda was attacked and beaten to death, to lit candles in her memory. Youth from all across Kabul, have been lighting candles at this place every nights since Farkhunda's death.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-13 | Students at Faculty of Music at Kabul University, some in the classical program, other in traditional music, rehearse together for an upcoming orchestra playing for a national holiday.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-01 | The young and talented cast and crew behind the scenes of "Shereen's Law", a very controversial TV series due to be aired on Afghan TV before the end of the year, tells the story of a 36-year-old woman who brings up three children on her own while forging a career as a clerk at a court in Kabul, while the main character, Shereen, fights corruption, harassment, and rape, and tries to divorce her husband, whom she wed in a forced marriage.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-13 | A group of students work on their projects inside a painting class at Kabul University Faculty of Fine Arts.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-21 | Inside a small photo studio in Karte 3 neighbourhood, a group of young fashion photographers have come together to organize the first male modelling agency. Hundreds of young afghan men showed up to the audition and only 20 made the cut.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-05-24 | A 16 year old pashto girl was married off to her cousin as a child bride. While she was praying her brother-in-law shot both of her legs and left her paralyzed for life. She has been abandoned by her family and spent her time between a women's shelter and the emergency hospital where she has been undergoing surgeries to improve her state of health.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-20 | Students attending the second shift of Nur Muhammad Shah all-girl school attend their classes on a Monday morning. This shool, located on the hill (Sar-e Tappa) in Karte Now neighborhood, admits 13,000 girls over 5 shifts from grade 1 to 12. Under Taliban regime, girls were not allowed to attend schools. Now, 14 years later, thousands and thousands of girls in black uniform and white headscarves, passionately walk to their schools everyday here in Kabul.
MAZAR SHARIF, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-10-10 | Samir Ahmed (24) left Afghanistan in 2007 when he was only 17 years old. His anther was an Uzbak member of Taliban and was pressuring him to join the insurgency as well. On the other hand the government continuously arrases Samir because of his father's affiliation with Taliban, banning him from going to university and chasing him from one city to another. Samir lived in UK for 8 years and was deported back to Afghanistan in 2014 after appealing the verdict in the court twice. He now lives in hiding in Samangan, northern Afghanistan, where heavy fighting is spreading from Badakhshan and Kunduz to his home village.
ISLAM QALA, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-14 | A minor afghan boy awaits inside the registration centre at Islam Qala border, after he was caught and deported from Iran. On this specific day, 40 buses (an estimated 1600) deportees were unloaded at the border. Most of them are young men, migrated for work or hoping to reach europe, but on occasions there are minors as well as elderly and families.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-04-20 | Students attending the second shift of Nur Muhammad Shah all-girl school attend their classes on a Monday morning. This shool, located on the hill (Sar-e Tappa) in Karte Now neighborhood, admits 13,000 girls over 5 shifts from grade 1 to 12. Under Taliban regime, girls were not allowed to attend schools. Now, 14 years later, thousands and thousands of girls in black uniform and white headscarves, passionately walk to their schools everyday here in Kabul.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-06 | Zhala (16) plays a cover of Avril Lavigne's song in her room while her younger brother and older sister sing along.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-25 | Every evening young Afghan artists, musicians and poets come together in the basement of cafe Taj Begum, a large and lively cafe in Karte 3 neighbourhood by Pule Surkh (Red Bridge). In the past, the culture of "cafe neshini" (hanging out at cafes) was a manly activity where as now, in the recent years, it has become very popular among afghan girls and boys, especially in western kabul. Everyday a new cafe pops out in Pule Surkh in Karte 3 neighborhood.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-01 | The young and talented cast and crew behind the scenes of "Shereen's Law", a very controversial TV series due to be aired on Afghan TV before the end of the year, tells the story of a 36-year-old woman who brings up three children on her own while forging a career as a clerk at a court in Kabul, while the main character, Shereen, fights corruption, harassment, and rape, and tries to divorce her husband, whom she wed in a forced marriage.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-11 | A young woman refreshes her make up while hanging out with her friends, all in their early 20s, at Cafe Honar, in western Kabul. Cafe Honar, that opened up less than a year ago, is a meeting place for artists, musicians, journalists and progressive youth where they all hang out and mingle in mixed groups. Cafe Honar, used to be a meeting place for artists, musicians, journalists and progressive youth where they all hang out and mingle in mixed groups but was shut down in the Fall of 2014 after a mullah and his followers put out threats against the owner.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-01-19 | Behind the closed doors of a highly secured bar, Usuf (18) spends his evening with his friends hanging out at one of the very few underground bars remained in Kabul.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-28 | Members of afghan girls national boxing team practice and exercise weekly with their male coach, Mr Sharifi, at Olympic Stadium in Kabul. Most of them believe that boxing has given them confidence and independence in their personal life as well.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-27 | After a long day of distributions, volunteers working with a grassroots afghan NGO, all very young university students, ride a bus back to their base to end their weekly mission, blanket and warm clothes drive to those families in need.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-28 | Members of afghan girls national boxing team practice and exercise weekly with their male coach, Mr Sharifi, at Olympic Stadium in Kabul. Most of them believe that boxing has given them confidence and independence in their personal life as well.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-17 | A group of young afghans play bowling at the only bowling club in Kabul, Shahre Now.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2014-08-09 | Kabul university students use the mobile phone inside the campus in between exams. When asked what is the main use of smart phone for them, their answers were all the same: call, text, email and Facebook. The use of smart phones and tablets among Afghans have become so popular that phone companies compete to offer better and cheaper data plans.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-02-26 | Rehearsal of "Death Puzzle", an experimental play, by Kaveh Ayreek and his crew, Mim theatre group.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-17 | A group of young afghans, mostly raised in iran, gather around the bonfire at a friends backyard to celebrate 'Chahar Shane Soori', the iranian end-of-year fire festival.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-03-12 | Every Friday the Shahre Now park fills up with hundreds of young afghan men who come to the park to play volleyball, soccer or cricket.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | 2015-06-13 | A theatre student rehearses a play in her classroom at Theatre Department od Kabul University.