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Prince Harry's shocking body count in Afghanistan

Prince Harry has gone into detail about his time in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, revealing how many people he killed. The Duke of Sussex served in two tours of Afghanistan: first as a forward air controller calling in air strikes in 2007-2008, then flying the attack helicopter in 2012-2013. Detailing the war times in his highly anticipated memoir Spare, Harry shared he had killed 25 people, saying he is neither proud nor ashamed of “taking human lives” as it was simply his job as a soldier. The prince says that he did not think of the 25 as “people” but rather “chess pieces” that had to be taken off the board. He also saw the insurgents he killed as “baddies eliminated before they could kill goodies”, he writes. Soldiers usually don't know how many people they have killed, but Harry alleged he watched footage of each of his kills when he got back to base to determine with certainty his death toll. “My number is 25. It’s not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me,” he says. He said after leaving the military in 2015 that killing insurgents was part of his job, and that “we take a life to save a life”. He justified his actions on the battlefield because of his memory of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, and the memory of meeting families of those who died. Those responsible and their sympathisers were “enemies of humanity” and fighting them was an act of vengeance for a crime against humanity, he added. Image credits: Getty Images

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Volleyball player reportedly beheaded by Taliban

Warning: This story contains graphic content which may distress some readers. A rising volleyball star <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10115333/Taliban-BEHEAD-womens-youth-volleyball-player-report-claims.html" target="_blank">has been killed</a> by the Taliban, with images of her head shared on social media, according to a report. Mahjabin Hakimi, a member of the Kabul Municipality Volleyball Club, was beheaded by members of the organisation earlier this month, according to claims her coach made in an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independentpersian.com/node/185776/%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86/%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%B9%D8%B6%D9%88-%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%BA%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84-%D8%B3%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF" target="_blank">The Persian Independent</a>. Several conflicting claims have been circulating on social media regarding her death, with reports claiming Mahjabin was killed a week before <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/kabul-has-fallen-what-s-happening-in-afghanistan" target="_blank">the Taliban seized Kabul</a>. A death certificate purportedly showed her date of death as mid-August. Other claims said she had committed suicide. A photo purportedly of her body showed she had an injury to her neck, but it is unclear whether it was caused by a blade or a ligature. However, the Payk Investigative Journalism Centre, based in Afghanistan, said its sources confirmed Mahjabin “was beheaded by the Taliban in Kabul”. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845032/volleyball1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bf96b466d9a04384bbecf2adad8e6031" /> Image: Twitter Mahjabin’s coach said her death was only being reported now because the Taliban had threatened her family to remain silent about what happened to her. After the image emerged online, the coach decided that she needed to speak out. “All the players of the volleyball team and the rest of the women athletes are in a bad situation and in despair and fear,” she said. “Everyone has been forced to flee and live in unknown places.” The coach said only two members of the Kabul team managed to flee the country before the Taliban seized power at the end of August, with the rest now in hiding. The Italian Volleyball Federation announced on Friday that all of its leagues would observe a minute of silence for Mahjabin prior to their games on the weekend. “It seems impossible that in 2021 someone will be killed just because they play volleyball or, even worse, because they want to chase their dreams,” the federation said in a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.federvolley.it/news/il-mondo-del-volley-lutto-decapitata-una-giovane-pallavolista-afgana" target="_blank">statement</a>. “Instead it is a horrendous reality. The whole great volleyball community is in mourning today. “Mahjabin, wherever you are, we like to think of you with a ball in your hand, finally free to play volleyball.” The devastating news comes as athletes have continued to be evacuated from the country. FIFA, the governing body of football, negotiated the evacuation of 57 soccer and basketball players on Thursday, with most being women and children. The organisation also said it worked with the Qatari government to evacuate almost 100 football players and their families, and assisted cycling body UCI with the evacuation of 165 refugees via Albania. 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents have been evacuated by Australia after lobbying from prominent sporting figures, while several of Afghanistan’s national female youth soccer players were granted asylum in Portugal. Despite making vague promises that their attitudes towards women had changed, the Taliban banned girls from returning to secondary school. Zahra Fayazi, a member of the senior volleyball team who fled to the UK, previously told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/volleyball/58612964" target="_blank">BBC</a> that female players were threatened and destroyed their sporting equipment out of fear. “Many of our players who are from provinces were threatened many times by their relatives who are Taliban and Taliban followers,” she said. “They even burned their sports equipment to save themselves and their families. They didn’t want them to keep anything related to sport. They are scared. “The Taliban asked our players’ families to not allow their girls to do sport, otherwise they will be faced with unexpected violence.” The Taliban also replaced the government’s women ministry with an all-male “vice and virtue” department. No women have been included in the new government Image: Twitter

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“We’ll die slowly in history”: Afghan girl’s sorrowful plea

A video of an unidentified Afghan girl crying after the Taliban took over the capital of Afghanistan is being shared online. The video, which has been translated into English, shows the young woman finding it hard to cope with her new future. “We don’t count because we were born in Afghanistan,” she says in the clip. “I cannot help crying. I have to wipe my tears to be able to film this video. “No one cares about us. We’ll die slowly in history.” She ends the video with the question, “Isn’t it funny?” The video was shared by journalist and activist Masih Alinejad and has been viewed more than 1.7 million times. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "We don't count because we're from Afghanistan. We'll die slowly in history" Tears of a hopeless Afghan girl whose future is getting shattered as the Taliban advance in the country. My heart breaks for women of Afghanistan. The world has failed them. History will write this. <a href="https://t.co/i56trtmQtF">pic.twitter.com/i56trtmQtF</a> — Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1426195246694780930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2021</a></blockquote> The journalist described the video as the “tears of a hopeless Afghan girl whose future is getting shattered as the Taliban advance in the country”. Alinejad added that her “heart breaks for the women in Afghanistan”, as she fears women’s basic freedoms and rights will be taken away under Taliban rule. The Iranian journalist has since interviewed the girl in the video, sharing on Twitter that they “cried together because we both know the nature of the Islamic regime and their lies”. “She’s only 23 years old, full of pain and anger. Please listen to her and be her voice.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> My in-depth interview with the Afghan girl who’s heartbreaking crying video become symbol of ‘shattered future’ under Taliban She’s only 23 years old, full of pain and anger. Please listen to her and be their voice. <a href="https://t.co/oUiOe7ApG7">pic.twitter.com/oUiOe7ApG7</a> — Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1427526187916701718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote> The clip has been shared all over social media, including by Khaled Hosseini, the author who used his time growing up in Afghanistan to write The Kite Runner. “The United States has a moral obligation. Admit as many Afghan refugees as possible,” he pleaded via Twitter. <img style="width: 500px; height: 229.06976744186048px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843215/860x394-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/52d78bdec78f4f3b8c94797880906d52" /> Image: Department of Defense, @MarcusReports The video comes as shocking images of Afghans fleeing the country have also been shared, depicting hundreds of people desperately trying to board an American military transport plane. Image: TikTok

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Prince Harry speaks out against Taliban: “Support one another”

Prince Harry has released a heartfelt statement following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. The Duke of Sussex undertook two frontline tours of Afghanistan during his time in the British military, and has called on veterans to “reach out” and “offer support for one another” following the heartbreaking events. He released the joint statement on the Invictus Games Foundation Twitter account, @weareinvictus. The statement was issued by Harry, patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, along with Lord Allen of Kensington CBE, chair of the foundation and CEO, Dominic Reid OBE. He said the events unfolding in the war-torn nation affected many in the Invictus community. "What's happening in Afghanistan resonates across the international Invictus community," it said. "Many of the participating nations and competitors in the Invictus Games family are bound by a shared experience of serving in Afghanistan over the past two decades, and for several years we have competed alongside Invictus Games Team Afghanistan. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843218/prince-harry-afghanistan-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/09b1f838b0fb406cadecd4e1681331e5" /> Image: Getty Images "We encourage everybody across the Invictus network — and the wider military community — to reach out to each other and offer support for one another." The Duke served in the army for 10 years. He joined the Royal Military in 2005, where he trained as a cadet. He went on to join the Blues and Royals in 2006 — the second-most senior regiment in the British army. From 2007 to 2008, Harry rose to the rank of lieutenant while he was deployed with the British Army in Helmand, Afghanistan. In 2012, he commenced the second frontline tour of Afghanistan. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843220/prince-harry-afghanistan.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c5c2d126ec304a3397786678447115dd" /> Image: Getty Images He had been a helicopter co-pilot and gunner. US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan following a 20-year presence has plunged the country into chaos. The Taliban has quickly taken over major cities and states in Afghanistan.

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Kabul has fallen: What's happening in Afghanistan

After 20 years of combat and billions of dollars invested by the US and NATO to build up Afghan forces, Taliban fighters have seized nearly all of Afghanistan in little over a week. After ousting Taliban forces from power in 2001, the US and Western allies - including Australia - have spent the last 20 years fighting the Taliban, as well as training and equipping Afghan security forces. Earlier this year, US President Joe Biden announced the US would end its military mission in the country this year, with troops withdrawing by August 31. Latest developments Kabul, the country’s capital, was seized hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday. Though he did not reveal where he had fled to, Mr Ghani said in a Facebook post that he did not want to see bloodshed in Kabul. Al Jazeera news has since reported that the president, his wife, his chief of staff, and national security advisor have left for Tashkent in Uzbekistan. The Taliban now say the war in Afghanistan is over, and that they will hold talks in the coming days aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government”, according to Taliban spokesman and negotiator Suhail Shaheen. Since the capture of Kabul, helicopters have been seen racing overhead to evacuate personnel from the US Embassy. <img style="width: 500px; height: 333.49609375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843148/gettyimages-1234687815.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ab8f7cf42c514d83b3f282c1913a3e10" /> A US military helicopter pictured flying above the US embassy. Image: Getty Images Embassy staff destroyed important documents ahead of their evacuation, and the American flag was lowered. Afghan citizens have also scrambled to flee the country, fearing the Taliban could reintroduce the brutal rules that stripped women of their rights. Thousands have attempted to flee, with roads reported to be gridlocked and gunfire being heard at the airport. The United States, Australia, New Zealand and over 50 other nations have also issued a joint statement on Afghanistan, which reads: “Given the deteriorating security situation, we support, are working to secure, and call on all parties to respect and facilitate, the safe and orderly departure of foreign nationals and Afghans who wish to leave the country.” “Those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan bear responsibility - and accountability - for the protection of human life and property, and for the immediate restoration of security and civil order. “Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so; roads, airports and border crossing must remain open, and calm must be maintained. “The Afghan people deserve to live in safety, security and dignity. We in the international community stand ready to assist them.” Russian news has also confirmed that the Taliban has promised to guarantee the safety of the Russian embassy in Kabul, and that it will remain functional. Australian forces to rescue Australians The Cabinet’s National Security committee has met to discuss military efforts to evacuate citizens and former Afghan staff, while the Federal Government considers increasing the number of Afghan nationals allowed into the country as refugees. Speaking this morning, Prime Minister Scott Morrison refused to clarify how many Australian citizens remained in Afghanistan, commenting that it is “a very distressing situation”. “We are working on to ensure we can safely remove people from that situation with partners and allies,” he said. “I can’t go too much into the operational details of this.” After announcing that RAAF planes would be airlifting Australians and Afghan interpreters and contractors out of the country on Sunday, Mr Morrison refused to confirm whether the changing situation threatened to derail the government’s plans. “I’m not going to go into the operations; it’s for the protection of those we’re engaged in seeking to provide their safety,” Mr Morrison said.

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“That’s not a cliff”: Ben Roberts-Smith downplays fresh allegations in court

The case between Ben Roberts-Smith and The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Canberra Times newspapers, as well as several journalists, has recommenced, with an Afghan villager currently testifying. The man has told the court a radio device was planted on the farmer’s dead body the day he was allegedly killed. The claim ties into the central allegation that the war veteran kicked a handcuffed, unarmed famer named Ali Jan over a cliff during a September 2012 mission. Nine Entertainment Co, the publisher of two of the papers, alleges Mr Roberts-Smith made an agreement with Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) colleagues to execute Ali Jan, which the soldiers then attempted to cover up. Mr Roberts-Smith has denied all wrongdoing and previously recalled in court that he encountered a suspected Taliban spotter in Darwan who was legitimately engaged and killed. Mohammad Hanifa, who says he is Ali Jan’s step-nephew, told Sydney’s Federal Court through an interpreter and via video link that he and Ali Jan were interrogated and beaten up by soldiers during a raid on the village. He said one soldier told him to “shut up” and pointed a pistol at his forehead after he denied being a Taliban member. Mr Hanifa said there was an interpreter with the group and described one of the men as a “big soldier” with “blue eyes”, who punched him “many times”. He said he warned Ali Jan not to laugh or smile, and that he saw Ali Jan “kicked really hard” by the big soldier after Ali Jan smiled again. “He was rolling down, rolling down, until he reached the river,” Mr Hanifa said. “The soldier was looking at him, he was standing there and looking at him.” He said he then heard a shot and saw two soldiers “dragging” Ali Jan. When the witness was shown a photograph of the dead man, he identified the man as Ali Jan and became animated when he saw a device in the photo. “These other things, the bag and the other device, they were not there,” he said. “They have put these things on his body.” Barrister Nicholas Owens SC, who is representing Nine, asked the witness whether he had seen Ali Jan carrying a radio that day. “By God, by God, he had nothing with him,” Mr Hanifa replied. Earlier, Mr Hanifa said the farmer was not connected to the Taliban. “He was providing for his children and he was protecting his family and his property.” The trial had been on hold for a month due to Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak, but has since resumed after concerns were raised regarding the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan which could make it difficult to hear from Afghan witnesses. Mr Hanifa’s testimony comes as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed an image of Mr Roberts-Smith which was altered by the Department of Defence. <img style="width: 335px; height: 223px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842683/7ab17256de68be9cbd6e333ff20fcb433ddc0944.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2e9957241a6b46a6a632eda515190197" /> Image: ADF The photo, released in early 2011, shows Mr Roberts-Smith wearing a blank patch on the front of his uniform. The newspapers allege they have obtained the original photo, taken on April 6 2010, which shows Mr Roberts-Smith wearing the Crusader’s Cross. The Crusader’s Cross symbol dates back to the Crusades in the Middle East during the 11th and 12 centuries. Many Muslims find the symbol offensive, especially when it is displayed by western soldiers in their country. EDITOR’S UPDATE While under cross-examination by Bruce McClintock SC, Mr Roberts-Smith’s barrister, the farmer agreed that he referred to the soldiers who had conducted the raids on the villages as infidels. Mr McClintock asked whether Mr Hanifa “hated” the soldiers. “If they are coming to our houses, go inside to our women, of course that’s what you call them - infidels,” the witness said. Mr McClintock also accused Mr Hanifa on several occasions of lying to the court, including his description of the uniform of the “big soldier”, which he described as wet and sandy. The court had previously heard Mr Roberts-Smith had swum across a river to catch a suspected Taliban member prior to the raid. “The evidence you’ve given about seeing the big soldier wet is completely untrue, isn’t it?” Mr McClintock asked. “Whether you call it a lie that’s up to you, but I have seen this person with my own eyes,” Mr Hanifa replied. Key images of the “cliff” from which Ali Jan is alleged to have been kicked have also been released to the public. The photographs of Mr Hanifa’s village had been marked by Mr Roberts-Smith while he gave evidence several weeks earlier. <img style="width: 500px; height: 199.41634241245137px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842692/capture.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c144cfe3755e4628938144e11a1abd37" /> Image: Federal Court of Australia One of the locations, marked as point “B” on the photograph, is a source of contention, with Mr Roberts-Smith saying it represented a rooftop where his squad waited for extraction after the mission, whereas Nine claim it represents the area where Ali Jan was kicked into the creek bed. While looking at photographs and images showing a steep embankment down into the creek, the veteran told the court: “A cliff is a cliff - and that’s not a cliff to me.”

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Prince Harry's shocking body count in Afghanistan

Volleyball player reportedly beheaded by Taliban

“We’ll die slowly in history”: Afghan girl’s sorrowful plea

Prince Harry speaks out against Taliban: “Support one another”

Kabul has fallen: What's happening in Afghanistan

“That’s not a cliff”: Ben Roberts-Smith downplays fresh allegations in court