APL

Kunduz province in the north of Afghanistan has been in international headlines for the past week, as it was recently infiltrated by a surge of insurgents. Taliban fighters have been controlling parts of Kunduz city since last week. All signs of normal life have disappeared in the city and the ongoing conflict is between Afghan security forces and Taliban militias.

Miles away from the frontlines of the ongoing conflict, in the country's capital city Kabul, players from Kunduz who play for Mawjhai Amu were fighting another fight, they were working  their way up in the semifinals of the Roshan Afghan Premier League (RAPL) as their families either were stuck in their homes or, for the fortunate ones, had already escaped the raging war to neighboring provinces of Takhar and Badakhshan.

Now, players from Kunduz are staying in a secure area in Kabul until everything goes back to normal in their hometown.

Mawjhai Amu's BaryaliMohammadzada from KochaFiroozKoh of Kunduz commented on his family's situation, "Most members of my family were able escape from Kunduz to Takhar without carrying any of their possessions and are staying in a temporarily rented house. My father and one of my brothers had to stay back in Kunduz to protect our belongings from getting looted." This situation resembles many of Kunduz's residents' and for many of them, the situation it is even worse.

Life is barely livable for the families trapped  in their houses  in the Kunduz city. There is no electricity and  running water in most parts of the city. Families who go out to purchase basic living necessities, do so at the risk of losing their life if caught in the crossfire between Afghan security forces and the Taliban. 

Another Amu player, Qismat Ahmadi, who lives in Bandar Khan Abad in Kunduz spoke about the recent tragic loss in his family. "My cousin's son was shot to dead after coming out of his house to purchase bread. His name was NisarAhamad and he was only 14 years of age."

Rahim Rahamani is also one of Amu's players whose family is still trapped in the city and he says that it might take some time for the area to be cleared of Taliban fighters.

Despite this extremely difficult situation back home and their heavy hearts, Mawjhai  Amu persevered to advance to the semifinals of the 2015 RAPL Main Event for the first time in their history. They won two of group stage matches and were awarded the 2015 RAPL FIFA Fair-Play Award.