Afghanistan with Roh Yakobi

Andrew Quilty is a multi-award-winning Australian photojournalist and the author of "August in Kabul". He lived and worked in Afghanistan for almost a decade, capturing and covering the country's stories. His work has been published globally. He was in Kabul the day the Taliban arrived in August 2021, riding his motorcycle and capturing their arrival.In this interview, he reflects on his time in Afghanistan, his love for the country and its people, and more.📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ozEy0jbpSEEHost & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in a refugee camp in Pakistan, Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan human rights activist and the founder of LEARN Afghanistan, an NGO through which she runs undercover schools across the country. In this interview, she talks about her life and work.Her book, "Last to Eat, Last to Learn", is out now. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gwLgJY4l9WkHost & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this first Q&A episode, I attempt to answer some of your questions...🌏 Get 10% discount on your first month of BetterHelp. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy service with more over 34,000 professional therapists. ➼ BetterHelp.com/TheAfgPod Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in Bamiyan, Zahra Nader is an award-winning journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Zan Times, a media outlet focused on women and marginalised communities in Afghanistan. In this interview, she talks about her childhood, her struggles as a refugee in Iran, her life in Kabul and Canada, her experiences, and her dreams for her outlet and herself, sharing her incredible story.Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renowned for her decades of humanitarian work, providing health and education services to millions in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sima Samar discusses her extraordinary life journey in this interview. She talks about her origins in a village in Hazarajat and her rise to become a globally recognised physician, activist, and politician.Her memoir, OUTSPOKEN: My fight for freedom and human rights in Afghanistan, is published on 27 February in the US/Canada and 13 March in the UK. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig Whitlock is an investigative journalist at The Washington Post and the author of 'The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War'. The book, which offers a comprehensive examination of the deceptions, shortcomings, missteps, and misguided policies that characterised America's defeat in Afghanistan.In this interview, Craig discusses his book, experience of covering US defence policies on the War on Terror, the impact of failure in Afghanistan and more. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mir Tamim Ansary is an Afghan-American author who left Afghanistan in the early 1960s. He has written many books, including "West of Kabul, East of New York", "Games Without Rules", "Destiny Disrupted: A History of The World Through Islamic Eyes" and "The Invention of Tomorrow".In this interview he talks about his childhood in Afghanistan, his extraordinary family background, growing up in America and his views on the current situation in both countries and beyond.Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larisa Brown is a British journalist and author. She is currently the defence editor at The Times newspaper. In this interview, she talks about her book, The Gardener of Lashkar Gah, which tells the extraordinary story of Shaista Gul, a man who worked at a British military base in Helmand as a gardener, and his son, Jamal, who worked as an interpreter with British forces across the province, got injured and...Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tobias Ellwood is a Conservative member of the British Parliament and a former chair of the House of Commons' Defence Select Committee. In July 2023, he visited Afghanistan, following which he called for engagement with the Taliban, causing an uproar, with many criticising his stance. As a result, he resigned as chair of the Defence Select Committee.In this in-depth interview, he talks about his trip to Afghanistan, his reasons for engagement with the Taliban and more. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heather Barr is associate director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch. She worked in Afghanistan for over a decade for the UN and Human Rights Watch. In this interview she reflects on her time in the country, her work and views on the current situation. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wendy Chamberlain MP is a Liberal Democrat member of the British parliament. She is the co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Afghan Women and Girls and has been a strong voice for the cause of women and girls in Afghanistan.In this interview she talks about her work on Afghanistan, her views and concerns. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Johnny Mercer is former British MP and Minister for Veterans' Affairs. He served three tours in Afghanistan as an army officer. In this interview, he talks about his time in Afghanistan, his views on the Taliban and the current situation in the country and stories of fighting the group in Helmand. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Loyn is a renowned British journalist and author who specialises in Afghanistan, with decades of experience in the country and the region as a BBC correspondent. He worked as an advisor to Ashraf Ghani's government for a year after leaving the BBC. In this interview, he shares his insights, analysis, and thoughts on the situation in the country and what should happen next.David Loyn's books "The Long War: The Inside Story of America and Afghanistan Since 9/11" and "Butcher and Bolt: Two Hundred Years of Foreign Failure in Afghanistan" were published in 2021 and 2008 respectively. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Major General Charlie Herbert served multiple tours in Afghanistan and led British forces in Helmand province. He also served in other capacities, working with Afghan government ministries and leaders. In this interview, he shares his insights, thoughts, and stories about what happened during the 20-year Western involvement in the country and what he thinks about the future.Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephan Jensen is a former Norwegian army officer who served in Afghanistan's northern provinces of Faryab and Balkh (Mazar-i-Sharif). Currently, he is working on a book detailing the history of the War in Afghanistan. In this interview, Jensen discusses his experiences during his time in the country, provides an analysis of what went wrong, and explores Norway's unique position in global diplomacy, and its role as conflict mediator, especially on Afghanistan. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Habiba Sarabi is the former Minister of Women's Affairs in Afghanistan and was the first woman to hold a governorship in the country, serving as the governor of Bamiyan Province. She was also a part of the delegation negotiating with the Taliban before the group's return to power in August 2021. In this interview she talks about her childhood, her life in politics, negotiating with the Taliban, life in exile and her hopes for Afghanistan. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Criss Howk has spent 21 years focused on Afghanistan in defence, diplomacy, academic, humanitarian, and intelligence roles. He is the director of Global Friends of Afghanistan, a frequently published writer, and guest lectures at American University and the USMC War College.Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mohsin Dawar is a Pakistani politician who leads the political party called the National Democratic Movement. He previously served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 to August 2023.Dawar has been a staunch critic of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, accusing them of being proxies of the Pakistani military. In this interview, he talks about Pakistan, Pashtuns, the Taliban (both Afghan and Pakistani), refugees, the Durand Line, risking his life, and more.Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fawzia Koofi has been a prominent figure in Afghanistan's politics and a women's rights activist. She served a member and the first female Deputy Speaker of parliament before the Taliban's recapture of the country. In this interview she talks about her childhood, life in politics, negotiating with the Taliban and leaving Afghanistan. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hussain Shah Rezai fled Afghanistan when he was a teenager almost ten years ago. He is one of over ten thousand refugees from Afghanistan stuck in appalling and inhumane conditions in Indonesia. In this episode, Hussain tells his and their story.Hussain on X: @HussainS_RezaieWarning: This episode contains a discussion on mental health issues. If you are affected, please seek help from a professional. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Sir Laurie Bristow was the British ambassador to Afghanistan during the Taliban's takeover in August 2021. In this interview, he talks about living and working through those chaotic days, the factors leading to them, and what he thinks about the situation in the country now. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mozhdah Jamalzadah is a singer, actor and campaigner. In this interview, she talks about leaving Afghanistan as a young child, the challenges of settling in Canada, pursuing music, acting, working in Afghanistan, and her interest in politics. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Levison Wood is a British a writer, explorer and photographer. He first walked through Afghanistan in 2004 and then served as a soldier in southern Afghanistan. His latest book, Escape from Kabul, gives a riveting account of the fall of Afghanistan into the hands of the Taliban and the chaotic evacuation of Kabul in August 2021. Producer | Host: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shakardokht (Shakar) is a medical physicist and multi award-winning innovator, based in the UK.Born in Afghanistan's central highlands of Hazarajat, Shakardokht became a refugee in Iran aged 6. Resisting repeated pressures to accept arranged marriages as a schoolgirl, she studied hard and managed to enter the Tehran University. In 2010, she arrived in the UK to study the University of Surrey and was the first woman from Afghanistan to gain a PhD in radiation technology. Her book: Shakar An Afghanistani Woman's Journey is available in bookstores. Host & Producer: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: [email protected]: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.