The graceless victors

摘要

The town of Shibarghan in northern Afghanistan used to be one of the main strongholds of General Abdul Rashid Dostum, who was born there and who many hoped would be a match for the all-conquering Taliban. It was much fought over in 1998 in a battle bloody even by Afghan standards. But eventually the Taliban prevailed. Today their flag flutters over General Dostum's former home. A five-minute walk away is the town's sports stadium, where the general's men liked to show off their prowess. Today the stadium is empty, unused even for sporting activities, since the Taliban say sport conflicts with their strict interpretation of Islam.