Kabul: Hundreds of women take to the streets in Kabul in rival demonstrations. Some are for and some are against a controversial Shiite family law that critics say legalizes marital rape.
It is a protest some see as a sign of progress.
Nato's Captain Mark Durkin of the British Royal Navy in Afghanistan - who was made available to Reuters by the Pentagon - said, "I think it is a very healthy thing to see that the women tare ion the streets demonstrating, if they feel that is what they want to do. I think if you go back a few years you would have been extremely surprised to see that sort of activity."
Signs of progress could provide some welcome relief in Afghanistan at a time when violence has reached its highest level since the US-led invasion in 2001.
The United States has about 38,000 troops in Afghanistan, and an extra 17,000 combat troops are headed that way.
Durkin says while those troops may not signal the end of the war. He hopes they can help Afghanistan get there.
Captain Durkin said, "Nobody should be in any doubt that an additional 17,000 troops is going to make an enormous difference, we look forward to it making a significant difference and we will be on the road to progress."
While women protesting in the streets may be one step on that road to progress, a decrease in violence would certainly be another.
Comments
0 comment