Shows
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiNathalie Paarlberg: A cultural history of AfghanistanNathalie Paarlberg is an art historian and the Chief Operating Officer at Turquoise Mountain. In this interview, she takes us on a journey through Afghanistan’s rich cultural history and art, as well as sharing her personal story of living and working in the country for several years. Her book, 'Je Ogen Zijn Mooi' (Your Eyes Are Beautiful), has been published in the Netherlands.Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friendsCover photo: © Jeanette Huisman📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTubeProducer | Host: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researc...2025-07-0848 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiMary Beard: Taliban, women and lessons from historyIn this exclusive and gripping interview, acclaimed historian Professor Mary Beard explores how the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan reflects enduring patterns of patriarchal control throughout history. Drawing on examples and stories of ancient Greek and Roman history, Professor Beard examines how societies have historically silenced women, excluded them from public life, and regulated their behaviour through coercion, custom, and control.Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTubeProducer | Host: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakob...2025-06-1241 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiPascal Maitre: Afghanistan through my lensPascal Maitre is a world-renowned French photojournalist whose decades of work from around the world, particularly in Afghanistan, have produced some of the most iconic images of people, war, culture, nature, and more.He first travelled to Afghanistan in the 1970s and has since covered the Soviet–Afghan War and the Mujahideen civil war; he travelled through Bamiyan and Hazarajat, capturing breathtaking photos of the Buddhas in 1996, and spent two weeks with Ahmad Shah Massoud, during which he took some of his most iconic photographs. His lens documented the looting of the Kabul Museum in July 2000, th...2025-06-0557 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiDavid Tyson: A CIA spy's story in Afghanistan (Part 3)David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for...2025-05-1842 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiDavid Tyson: A CIA spy's story in Afghanistan (Part 2)David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for...2025-05-1130 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiDavid Tyson: A CIA spy's story in Afghanistan (Part 1)David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for...2025-05-0337 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSir Rodric Braithwaite: Inside the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (Part 2)Sir Rodric Braithwaite is a former British diplomat and author who served as ambassador to the Soviet Union. He has written extensively on Russia and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, including in his acclaimed book Afgantsy.In this interview, he offers a rare insight into how Soviet leaders came to the decision to invade Afghanistan, why the country became strategically significant, the role of communism and Afghan leadership at the time, how the Soviet intervention differed from the British and later NATO-led invasions, the legacies they left behind, witnessing the fall of the Soviet Union and...2025-04-2746 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSir Rodric Braithwaite: Inside the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (Part 1)Sir Rodric Braithwaite is a former British diplomat and author who served as ambassador to the Soviet Union. He has written extensively on Russia and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, including in his acclaimed book, Afgantsy.In this interview, he offers a rare insight into how Soviet leaders came to the decision to invade Afghanistan, why the country became strategically significant, the role of communism and Afghan leadership at the time, how the Soviet intervention differed from the British and later NATO-led invasions, and much more...📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTubeProducer | Hos...2025-04-1936 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSteve MacBeth: Inside Canada's Afghan warSteve MacBeth is a former soldier in the Canadian Army and the author of 'No Names, No Packdrill - An Oral History of Canadians at War in Afghanistan'. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan, and in this interview, takes us inside Canada's mission in Afghanistan, talks about his book, and shares his personal reflections and stories.📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTubeProducer | Host: Roh YakobiAssistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Host...2025-04-091h 08
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiGen. Joseph Votel: Lessons from Afghanistan (Part 2)General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and was the Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks.In this second part, he talks about his arrival in the country, how he found the people, their values, and their culture. He also offers a personal reflection on the country’s future, the Taliban’s rule, and shares a story about celebrating New Year in Helmand with a non-alcoholic beer alongside his soldiers and Afghan colleagues.📺 Watch on YouTubePr...2025-03-2234 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiGen. Joseph Votel: Lessons from Afghanistan (Part 1)General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 t0 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks.In this first part of the interview, he analyses recent developments in the Middle East, including the role of Iran, the geopolitical situation in South and Central Asia, and assesses the factors that contributed to the failure in Afghanistan, which he will explore in greater depth, along with his personal experiences in the country, in Part 2.📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer | Hos...2025-03-1539 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiJonathan Lee: What is Afghanistan? (Part 3) Hazara GenocideDr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.In this third part, he delves into the Hazara genocide of the 1890s and its lasting impact on the community and their identity...2025-02-2336 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiJonathan Lee: What is Afghanistan? (Part 2) Drinking BloodDr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.In this second part, we continue the conversation on who founded the country and the state, who named the country and drew its...2025-02-1538 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiJonathan Lee: What is Afghanistan? (Part 1) The HippiesDr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.In this first part of the interview, he tells us how he found Afghanistan when he first arrived, what attracted the hippies, where...2025-02-0841 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiToby Harnden: Inside the CIA's first combat team in Afghanistan (Part 2)Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of 'Dead Men Risen' and 'First Casualty'.In this second part of the interview, we continue the story of the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif on 9th November 2001. In the days that followed, over 400 captured Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters revolted at Qala-i-Jangi, where they were being held, killing Mike Spann, and Hazara and Uzbek guards. The uprising lasted for six days, and only 86 Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters survived, including John Walker Lindh, also known as the American Taliban. The episode delves into their story, Toby's own reflections and more.2025-02-0138 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiToby Harnden: Inside the CIA's first combat team in Afghanistan (Part 1)Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of Dead Men Risen and First Casualty. In this first part of the interview, he shares his story of Afghanistan and the inside story of Team Alpha—a group of eight CIA operatives who landed in the mountains of northern Afghanistan to join the forces of General Abdul Rashid Dostum and begin the war to avenge the 9/11 attacks. They fought their way to the capture of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where, soon after, the team suffered their—and America’s—first casualty of the campaign, a story that will be told in part 2.2025-01-2548 minAfghanistan with Roh Yakobiرضا سرور: چگونه بورسیه بگیریم (Farsi Special)رضا سرور یکی از دانشآموختگان برنامهی تحصیلی فولبرایت و مدیر پیشین پذیرش در دانشگاه آمریکایی افغانستان و در حال حاضر، دانشجوی دکترای دانشگاه Texas A&M ایالت تگزاس آمریکاست. او تجربهی گسترده در کمک به دانشجویان برای درخواست و دریافت بورسیههای تحصیلی در خارج از افغانستان دارد. در این گفتوگو، او داستان شخصی خود را به اشتراک میگذارد و یک راهنمای جامع برای دستیابی به بورسیههای تحصیلی ارائه میدهد.📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-01-171h 32
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiShaharzad Akbar: The Taliban have a vision for AfghanistanShaharzad Akbar is the Executive Director of Rawadari and the former Chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. In this interview, she reflects on and reviews 2024, shares her analysis of the current situation, discusses what the future may hold for Afghanistan in the year ahead, and her expresses hopes for the country, particularly women and girls.📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...2025-01-1253 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSaad Mohseni: The extraordinary life of a media visionarySaad Mohseni is the Chairman and CEO of Moby Group, and the author of 'Radio Free Afghanistan'. Born in London, raised in Kabul, Tokyo and Melbourne, Saad Mohseni has been one of the most influential figures in Afghanistan's recent history, transforming Afghanistan and its culture by revolutionising the country's media landscape.In this interview, he shares his remarkable story, how he brought new media to Afghanistan, its impacts and consequences, as well as sharing his views on the current situation in the country. 📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer: Roh YakobiMusi...2024-11-2656 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiGen H.R. McMaster: Trump 2.0, Afghanistan and the TalibanGeneral H.R. McMaster served as Donald Trump's National Security Advisor for 14 months during his first term and he formulated America's South Asia Strategy, which Trump abandoned after McMaster's departure. In this interview, he discusses the implications of the second Trump presidency for the world, looks back at the failure in Afghanistan and whether the country will feature in the new administration's foreign and security policy. He also shares his thoughts on the future of Afghanistan and the contributions he wants to make. 📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood Sarkhosh2024-11-0934 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSune Rasmussen: Afghanistan is a part of meSune Engel Rasmussen is a Danish journalist and author who lived in Afghanistan, reporting extensively for several international outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian.In this interview, we discuss his book Twenty Years, which offers an unique intimate insight into two decades of Western involvement in Afghanistan, told through the stories and struggles of young men and women affected by it, along with his own experiences of living and working in the country.📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohy...2024-10-211h 03
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiAndrew North: My 20 years in AfghanistanAndrew North is an award-winning British journalist and former BBC correspondent in Afghanistan, Iraq, India, and the United States. He lived and reported from Afghanistan throughout two decades of international involvement and visited the country three times after the Taliban’s return, with his last visit resulting in his kidnapping by the group’s intelligence agents. His recently published book, War & Peace & War, tells his and the stories of five people who lived through the country’s conflicts.In this interview, he shares his stories and insights.📺 Watch on YouTubeProducer: Roh Yakob...2024-09-2153 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiRahmatullah Nabil: The story of an Afghan spymaster (Part 2)Rahmatullah Nabil is an Afghan politician and former intelligence chief. Having lost his father at the age of one, he was raised by his mother, who dedicated her life to him. Nabil left school and joined one of the Mujahideen factions as a teenager. An ambush on Soviet forces, during which he was injured, and the discovery of a handwritten letter belonging to a Soviet soldier, changed his life. This led him to become a refugee in Pakistan, where he graduated from university and worked for the UN. He eventually joined the Afghan Republic government, becoming the country’s sp...2024-09-1454 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiRahmatullah Nabil: The story of an Afghan spymaster (Part 1)Rahmatullah Nabil is an Afghan politician and former intelligence chief. Having lost his father at the age of one, he was raised by his mother, who dedicated her life to him. Nabil left school and joined one of the Mujahideen factions as a teenager. An ambush on Soviet forces, during which he was injured, and the discovery of a handwritten letter belonging to a Soviet soldier, changed his life. This led him to become a refugee in Pakistan, where he graduated from university and worked for the UN. He eventually joined the Afghan Republic government, becoming the country’s sp...2024-09-0753 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiSir William Patey: The Taliban cannot turn Kabul into a Pashtun villageSir William Patey is a retired British diplomat with extensive experience in Middle Eastern and South Asian geopolitics. He served as the UK Ambassador to Kabul from 2010 to 2012, following earlier roles as Ambassador to Sudan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. In this interview, he shares his insights and analysis on Afghanistan—discussing what went wrong, what the future may hold, and recounting stories from his time in the country.📺 Watch on YouTube.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobiX: @TheAfg...2024-08-3154 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiMark Urban: Ashraf Ghani was not enough of a bastardMark Urban is a British journalist, broadcaster, and best-selling author of many books, including War in Afghanistan and The Skripal Files. He has covered Afghanistan extensively since the late 1980s, witnessing firsthand the withdrawal of Soviet forces, accompanying Ahmad Shah Massoud as he took Kabul in 1992, and other key events. In this interview, he shares his stories of the country and his thoughts on its future, as well the impacts of the West's failure.📺 Watch on YouTube.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInst...2024-08-241h 05
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSir Laurie Bristow: Why did we get it so badly wrong for 20 years?Sir Laurie Bristow, the UK's last ambassador in Kabul, witnessed the disintegration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul into the hands of the Taliban in August 2021. He is the author of Kabul: Final Call, which provides an insider's view of the events as they unfolded. In this interview, we discuss the book, Sir Laurie’s reflections on his experiences, and his thoughts on the current situation in the country and its future.📺 Watch on YouTube.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail...2024-08-171h 05Afghanistan with Roh YakobiThomas Barfield: Time to break up Afghanistan? (Part 2)Professor Thomas Barfield is one of the preeminent experts on Afghanistan, having spent over five decades studying and writing on the country. He is the author of 'Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History' and 'Shadow Empires,' among many others. In this interview, he talks about traveling around Afghanistan for the first time in 1971 and the impact it had on him, his fieldwork in northern Afghanistan, the country's history, its place in the region, its complex politics and society, as well as his thoughts on the future, along with plenty of fascinating and funny stories and a...2024-08-1056 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiThomas Barfield: Time to break up Afghanistan? (Part 1)Professor Thomas Barfield is one of the preeminent experts on Afghanistan, having spent over five decades studying and writing on the country. He is the author of 'Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History' and 'Shadow Empires,' among many others. In this interview, he talks about traveling around Afghanistan for the first time in 1971 and the impact it had on him, his fieldwork in northern Afghanistan, the country's history, its place in the region, its complex politics and society, as well as his thoughts on the future, along with plenty of fascinating and funny stories and anecdotes.2024-05-1856 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiArtemis Akbary: The costs of being gay in AfghanistanArtemis Akbary is an LGBTIQ rights activist and the co-founder and Executive Director of the Afghan LGBT Organization (ALO), and a producer/presenter at Radio Ranginkaman. They have spoken and campaigned at various international gatherings about the plight of the LGBTIQ community in Afghanistan. In this moving interview, Artemis shares their personal story, and their harrowing experience of growing up in Iran, fleeing to Turkey, and then settling in Europe, enduring years of torment and abuse, as well sharing stories of LGBTIQ men and women persecuted in Afghanistan.Subscribe through “Support the Show” link below.Send...2024-05-041h 03
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiThomas Ruttig: The untold story of Germany in Afghanistan (Part 2)Thomas Ruttig is a co-founder of the Afghanistan Analysts Network. He has worked on and in Afghanistan since he graduated in Afghan Studies from Humboldt University, Berlin in 1985: as an East German (GDR) diplomat, including at the GDR Embassy in Kabul (1985-89), as political affairs officer for two United Nations missions in Afghanistan (2000-2003, including as UNSMA head of office Kabul, adviser to the Afghan Independent Emergency Loya Jirga Commission and UNAMA head of office Islamabad and Gardez), deputy to the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan (2003-2004); political adviser to the German Embassy in Kabul (2004-06). In t...2024-04-2747 min
Afghanistan with Roh YakobiThomas Ruttig: The untold story of Germany in Afghanistan (Part 1)Thomas Ruttig is a co-founder of the Afghanistan Analysts Network. He has worked on and in Afghanistan since he graduated in Afghan Studies from Humboldt University, Berlin in 1985: as an East German (GDR) diplomat, including at the GDR Embassy in Kabul (1985-89), as political affairs officer for two United Nations missions in Afghanistan (2000-2003, including as UNSMA head of office Kabul, adviser to the Afghan Independent Emergency Loya Jirga Commission and UNAMA head of office Islamabad and Gardez), deputy to the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan (2003-2004); political adviser to the German Embassy in Kabul (2004-06). In t...2024-04-2043 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiFereshta Abbasi: I am lucky to be aliveFereshta Abbasi is the Afghanistan Researcher at Human Rights Watch and a Chevening Scholar. Born a refugee in Iran, she was taken to Afghanistan as a child, where she pursued her education, eventually becoming a lawyer. In this interview, she shares her remarkable story and inspirational achievements.Subscribe through “Support the show” link below.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...2024-04-131h 09Afghanistan with Roh YakobiLlewelyn Morgan: The Buddhas of BamiyanLlewelyn Morgan is a professor of Classics at the University of Oxford. He is the author of "The Buddhas of Bamiyan", a book that explores the long and complex history of the Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and their eventual destruction in 2001. Professor Morgan has written extensively on Afghanistan, and in this interview, he discusses his work, the Buddhas of Bamiyan, their histories, and more.🙏🏽 Subscribe through “Support the show” link below.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: h...2024-04-061h 06Afghanistan with Roh YakobiFranz-Michael Mellbin: Afghans were not good alliesAmbassador Franz-Michael Mellbin is a former EU Special Representative and Danish ambassador in Afghanistan. He played a central role in the implementation of the Danish and EU efforts in Afghanistan, from September 11, 2001, until the evacuation from Kabul. He assisted the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations with the planning of US Afghanistan policies. Mellbin negotiated the first peace agreement in Afghanistan in over 20 years, between the government and Hekmatyar/Hezb-e-Islami, and took the initiative for the EID ceasefire with the Taliban in 2018. He is currently the Danish ambassador in the Philippines. In this candid interview, he reflects on h...2024-03-231h 23Afghanistan with Roh YakobiAndrew Quilty: Kabul was my hometownAndrew 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/ozEy0jbpSEE🙏🏽 Subscribe through “Support the show” link below.Send us a Text Message...2024-03-161h 14Afghanistan with Roh YakobiPashtana Durrani: Afghanistan is not accepting its daughtersBorn 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/gwLgJY4l9Wk🙏🏽 Subscribe through “Support the show” link below.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohy...2024-03-091h 10Afghanistan with Roh YakobiQuestion Time: Your questions answered!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: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-03-0228 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiZahra Nader: My mother begged schools to let me inBorn 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.🌏 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.2024-02-241h 01Afghanistan with Roh YakobiSima Samar: I have three strikes against meRenowned 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. 🌏 Get 10% discount on your first month of BetterHelp. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy service with more over 34,000 professional ther...2024-02-171h 00Afghanistan with Roh YakobiCraig Whitlock: America and the lies of the Afghan WarCraig 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. 🌏 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 2024-02-101h 11Afghanistan with Roh YakobiMir Tamim Ansary: I will never see Afghanistan againMir 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.🌏 Get 10% discount on your first month of BetterHelp. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy service with more over 34,000 professional the...2024-02-031h 05Afghanistan with Roh YakobiLarisa Brown: The Gardner of Lashkar GahLarisa 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...🌏 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...2024-01-2737 min
The Afghanistan Project PodcastEpisode 39 : Heather Barr with Human Rights WatchWelcome to Episode 39 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is Heather Barr, the Associate Director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, whose history of working in Afghanistan traces back to 2007 when she first began working in the country with th...2024-01-2255 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiTobias Ellwood: We should engage with the Taliban in KabulTobias 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. 🌏 Get 10% discount on your first month of BetterHelp. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy service with more over 34,000 prof...2024-01-2046 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiHeather Barr: How dare we give up on Afghan women and girlsHeather 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. 🌏 Get 10% discount on your first month of BetterHelp. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy service over 34,000 professional therapists. ➼ BetterHelp.com/TheAfgPod Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInsta...2024-01-1359 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiWendy Chamberlain MP: There are concerns Afghanistan is growing the next generation of terroristsWendy 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...2024-01-0625 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiJohnny Mercer MP: Afghanistan is deeply intoxicatingJohnny Mercer is Britain's 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-12-2137 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiDavid Loyn: Engagement has failed, the West should support alternatives to the TalibanDavid 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. S...2023-12-141h 04Afghanistan with Roh YakobiCharlie Herbert: Persecution of the Hazaras is the untold story of AfghanistanMajor 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.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...2023-12-071h 02Afghanistan with Roh YakobiStephan Jensen: I cried in an Oslo cafe when Kabul fell to the TalibanStephan 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. Stephan is on X: @StephanAJensenSend us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood Sarkhosh2023-11-301h 02Afghanistan with Roh YakobiDr Habiba Sarabi: We must rely on our own abilities to change AfghanistanDr 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmai...2023-11-231h 10Afghanistan with Roh YakobiJason Criss Howk: Time is running out for AfghanistanJason 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.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-11-1854 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiMohsin Dawar: Pashtuns who support the Taliban are harming AfghanistanMohsin 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.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood S...2023-11-1151 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiFawzia Koofi: My bags are still packedFawzia 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...2023-11-041h 00Afghanistan with Roh YakobiRefugees in Indonesia: Betrayed and forgottenHussain 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi 2023-10-2755 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiSir Laurie Bristow: We are utterly wrong to think Afghanistan's story is over 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-10-211h 02Afghanistan with Roh YakobiMozhdah Jamalzadah: I am a rebel and I can't be told to shut upMozhdah 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. Subscribe/Support: https://bit.ly/3QhklBgSend us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-10-1453 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiLevison Wood: Afghanistan has a special place in my heartLevison 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. Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Producer: Roh YakobiMusic ©: Dawood SarkhoshEmail: hello@rohyakobi.comInstagram: @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo...2023-10-0744 minAfghanistan with Roh YakobiShakardokht Jafari: Not trying is the biggest sinShakardokht (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. Send us a Text Message.Support th...2023-09-301h 01
KabulCastJohn Simpson: What would Mandela say to the people of Afghanistan?From his first arrival in Afghanistan days before the Soviets' withdrawal to his encounter with Osama bin Laden to his walk into Kabul with the Northern Alliance forces in November 2001, John Simpson shares his love for the country, its people, and his candid views on its current situation and future prospects.John Simpson reporting clip: ©️ BBC. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-08-111h 04KabulCastShaharzad Akbar: This is not the end of our storyShaharzad Akbar is an activist, the Executive Director of Rawadari, and the former Chair of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. She reflects on her personal story, shares her thoughts on the current situation in Afghanistan, and discusses her hopes for the future of the country and its people.KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-07-311h 13KabulCastDamon Wilson: Let's empower the people of AfghanistanDamon Wilson is the President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). In this interview, he talks about what inspired him to do what he does, reflections on what happened in Afghanistan, and the way ahead for its future.KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-07-1457 minKabulCastRobert Grenier: We handed Afghanistan back to the TalibanRobert Grenier is the former the CIA's Director of Counter-Terrorism Centre and Station Chief in Islamabad. After 911 attacks, the then Director of the CIA, George Tennet, tasked Grenier to formulate America's strategy on fighting the Taliban.Grenier is the author of 88 Days to Kandahar. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-07-071h 15KabulCastDr Hassan Abbas: What's next for the Taliban and Afghanistan?Dr Hassan Abbas’s The Return of the Taliban gives an insight into the inner workings of the Taliban, its leaders and why they do what they do. From power rivalries to resettling thousands of Pakistani Taliban’s fighters in the north of Afghanistan, you will leave this episode informed and enlightened. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-06-301h 11KabulCastDr Sima Samar: A life of selfless public serviceDr Sima Samar tells her incredible story. From a village in the central highlands of Hazarajat to studying medicine in Kabul University, to building hospitals and schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to becoming a government minister and championing human rights.KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-06-2351 minKabulCastKathy Gannon: There are a lot in Afghanistan that make me smileKathy Gannon is a multi-award-winning Canadian journalist and author who has been reporting from Afghanistan since 1986. She was in Kabul during the civil war of the 1990s, present when the Taliban first captured the city in 1996, and witnessed them abandoning it in 2001.In 2014, Gannon was attacked and wounded in an attack in eastern Afghanistan, which killed her colleague, Anja Niedringhaus. Gannon's book, I is for Infidel: From Holy War to Holy Terror in Afghanistan, was published in 2006. Visit: Kathy-gannon.com KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com...2023-06-031h 12
Third Culture TherapyHow do I overcome trauma? Inner peace, politics, and escaping the Taliban – with Hazara-Brit Roh YakobiWhat hurdles do survivors face when trying to heal from their past?How does leaving your home country shape your journey toward finding peace and purpose?In this episode, we speak to Hazara-Brit Roh Yakobi, a UK-based activist and journalist who escaped Afghanistan as a child after being tortured by the Taliban. Roh, now standing as a Labour Party candidate in Shrewsbury, shares his story of survival, from his persecution as part of the Hazara minority to his search for inner peace after arriving in the UK.Together, we discuss how...2023-05-311h 17
Third Culture TherapyTCT S1 Ep 8: Roh Yakobi on fleeing the Taliban, fighting his inner demons in the UK & finding peace in political activismHazara-Brit Roh Yakobi fled Afghanistan as a young man after being tortured by the Taliban and is now a UK-based activist and journalist and is currently standing to be selected as the Labour Party's parliamentary candidate for Shrewsbury and Atcham.
In this episode, Roh talks about running from danger, the struggle to find inner peace in safety and how his political activism gives him purpose and sanity.
Roh is a member of the ethnic minority Hazara community in Afghanistan, who have long been subject to persecution in their homeland, particularly from the Taliban.
Roh’...2023-05-311h 17
KabulCastSir Nick Kay: Ignore Afghanistan at your perilSir Nick Kay is the former British Ambassador in Afghanistan, 2017 to 2019. He first traveled to the country in 1976 as an 18 year old tourist. Sir Nick was among the very small number of Western diplomats to visit Kandahar in 1995, and the first to arrive in Kabul days after the Taliban captured the city in 1996. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-05-261h 20KabulCastRichard Bennett: The Taliban's unfinished JihadIn our first episode, we interview Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, and discuss his views on the state of human rights under the Taliban and the group's abuses. From his early life in New Zealand to swimming in Bamiyan's Band-e-Amir lake, we also delve into his personal stories. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-05-1353 min
Manatomy with Danny Wallace & Phil HiltonROH YAKOBI: “They could kill you for this.”This man, Roh Yakobi, wears and bears the scars of war. His dad was the local militia commander, and life was hard. He was kidnapped by the Taliban aged 12, imprisoned, and tortured. He fled to Pakistan as a child, smuggling opium across the border, and Iran, where he worked as a child labourer in factories and construction sites. He made it to Britain in 2004, and is now Associate Fellow at the Human Security Centre. He also likes his fish and chips.Find him on Twitter at @rohyakobi.TW: Talk of suicidal ideation, plus an attempt. If you ever...2022-03-161h 13
The Political PartyShow 242 - Roh YakobiThis is the most emotional episode of The Political Party ever recorded. Roh Yakobi was tortured by the Taliban when he was just 12. In this deeply moving interview he tells us his remarkable life story, including the brutal reality of being governed by the Taliban. He also speaks of his despair for his family and friends, particularly his female cousin, now that the Taliban are back in control. Roh is now a fellow at the Human Security Centre, having moved to Wolverhampton. A Labour member, his experience of growing up in Afghanistan has had a profound effect on his po...2021-08-301h 26