Indian woman stuck in Afghanistan since 2021 returns with daughter

In a story that could be straight out of a film, Indian national Iqra Jamal and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter finally reached India on Wednesday after more than three years stuck in Taliban's Afghanistan.

Iqra, who is married to an Afghan national, had travelled to Afghanistan just before the Taliban's return to power in Aug 2021. In the subsequent chaos that ensued, Iqra and her husband failed to board evacuation flights back to India.

In the meantime, Iqra discovered she was pregnant. TOI had first reported her case in Jan 2022 when she was five months into her pregnancy.

Short on funds and living through turbulent times, Iqra's daughter was born in Afghanistan after Indian citizens raised money for the delivery following an appeal by activist Rahul Kapoor. "I have lived through immense fear, depression and anxiety, especially in the early months of Taliban's return," says Iqra.