Afghans fearing punishment from the Taliban have attempted to stay out of sight since the militant group took control of the country. Those in hiding include employees of Afghanistan’s collapsed government, civil activists and women. They distrust the group’s promises not to take revenge on them. They are seeking a safe way to leave the country. The Taliban quickly took over major Afghan cities and the national government in recent weeks. Now, Taliban fighters have set up traffic stops throughout the capital, Kabul. The Associated Press (AP) reports the Taliban is stopping drivers to ask where they are going and to examine drivers’ documents. There are also reports of Taliban fighters going door-to-door in search of former government workers and civil activists. Such reports, however, have not been confirmed. The AP reported there have been no signs of widespread house-to-house searches. One Afghan in hiding who spoke to the AP is a 39-year-old reporter named Mobina. She told the news agency that she fled from the city of Mazar-e-Sharif with her two children after the Taliban took over the area. She is now staying in a safe house in Kabul. “We are asking ourselves ‘What is next?’ We are crying because nothing can be fixed,” Mobina said.
