Afghans line up to escape a war without end and a bleak future

Tabesh Ahmadi arrived at this capital city’s sole passport office before dawn, hoping to join more than 35,000 Afghans who have fled their country this year for Western Europe in search of peace and stability. By 6:30 a.m., the line was up to 350 people.

“We are all aware of the risks after we cross the Turkish border and the danger of the seas, but still we want to take these risks, and we’re ready to pay a lot of money to get out of Afghanistan,” said Ahmadi, 26, a university student from Kabul. “We cannot find jobs here, even with a bachelor or a master’s degree. We do not have a calm life, living with the fear of dying every day.”

Nearly 15 years after the U.S.-led military intervention toppled the Taliban and $113 billion in U.S. aid spent on relief and reconstruction, Afghans are growing increasingly hopeless about the future of their war-torn nation. Deteriorating security, rampant corruption and a lack of jobs are fueling a flight of refugees who are joining the flood of millions coming to Europe.

Read More- USA Today

Image courtesy of AFP/Getty