0:00:00 > 0:00:00CHILDREN OF KABUL CBA V081Y/01 BF000000
2:16:45 > 2:16:49I'm travelling thousands of miles back to where I was born.
2:16:49 > 2:16:54Since then, it's become one of the most dangerous places in the world.
2:16:54 > 2:16:55Afghanistan.
2:16:55 > 2:16:59For over a decade, British soldiers have been fighting here,
2:16:59 > 2:17:02but this year, 2014, the British Army will leave.
2:17:04 > 2:17:06I'm going back to the capital city Kabul
2:17:06 > 2:17:08to meet children who've known nothing but war
2:17:08 > 2:17:11to find out what this year means to them.
2:17:11 > 2:17:15I think the future will be good and like other countries.
2:17:16 > 2:17:20And I'll discover the real dangers of everyday life in Kabul.
2:17:20 > 2:17:23There's been an explosion somewhere in the city
2:17:23 > 2:17:25and we have to get to somewhere safe.
2:17:36 > 2:17:38I left Afghanistan when I was six.
2:17:38 > 2:17:42A group called the Taliban had a big influence on the country
2:17:42 > 2:17:45and my family thought it was too dangerous to stay,
2:17:45 > 2:17:46so we escaped to Britain.
2:17:48 > 2:17:52Arriving back, it seems little has changed.
2:17:53 > 2:17:56I've got my helmet right here
2:17:56 > 2:18:00and my very heavy life vest.
2:18:00 > 2:18:02This is bulletproof,
2:18:02 > 2:18:05and I have to put this on whenever it gets quite dangerous.
2:18:15 > 2:18:18The British and American armies came here in 2001
2:18:18 > 2:18:20to fight against the Taliban
2:18:20 > 2:18:23because they were linked to terrorists.
2:18:23 > 2:18:26The Taliban were quickly removed from Kabul,
2:18:26 > 2:18:30but the fighting has continued and, despite the high level of security,
2:18:30 > 2:18:33the Taliban still manage to regularly attack the city.
2:18:34 > 2:18:37There are police and military checkpoints
2:18:37 > 2:18:40to make sure that people like the Taliban are kept out
2:18:40 > 2:18:41and the city is kept safe.
2:18:43 > 2:18:45- OK?- Thanks, thanks.- Thank you.
2:18:56 > 2:18:58If you want to know what Afghan children think -
2:18:58 > 2:19:00you come where they are.
2:19:01 > 2:19:05There are hundreds of them around here all playing different sports,
2:19:05 > 2:19:06so I've just come to find out
2:19:06 > 2:19:09what they think 2014 holds for Afghanistan.
2:19:11 > 2:19:14TRANSLATION: We want to thank the foreign troops
2:19:14 > 2:19:16for all they have done for us.
2:19:16 > 2:19:17We also want them to go.
2:19:19 > 2:19:22- TRANSLATION:- A lot will change by the end of this year
2:19:22 > 2:19:25and I hope that the people in charge
2:19:25 > 2:19:26will build a safe Afghanistan
2:19:26 > 2:19:30with less violence and suicide attacks.
2:19:30 > 2:19:32But some of the children here
2:19:32 > 2:19:35are scared about what might happen when the troops leave
2:19:35 > 2:19:38and only the Afghan Army are left to fight the Taliban.
2:19:38 > 2:19:42HE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
2:19:45 > 2:19:47He's just said to me that, you know,
2:19:47 > 2:19:51as soon as the troops leave he's worried, he's scared that...
2:19:51 > 2:19:53the Taliban will come back
2:19:53 > 2:19:55and it'll be the same war, the same fighting all over again,
2:19:55 > 2:19:58and he's really worried about that.
2:20:02 > 2:20:04The Taliban are followers of Islam,
2:20:04 > 2:20:07but their views are much more extreme than most Muslims.
2:20:07 > 2:20:10They banned things like television and music.
2:20:11 > 2:20:14They continue to fight,
2:20:14 > 2:20:17and thousands of innocent kids have been caught up in the battle.
2:20:19 > 2:20:22Many children travel to these specialist hospitals in Kabul
2:20:22 > 2:20:24to be treated for war wounds.
2:20:24 > 2:20:26Salaam alaikum.
2:20:26 > 2:20:31'Some, like 13-year-old Obaidullah, were injured whilst playing.
2:20:31 > 2:20:35'A rocket attack killed his sister and brother and damaged his leg.'
2:20:39 > 2:20:42TRANSLATION: I heard the sound of the rocket,
2:20:42 > 2:20:44then I saw it explode.
2:20:44 > 2:20:48A piece of the rocket flew at me and I felt it hit at me.
2:20:50 > 2:20:52I thought my leg would get better,
2:20:52 > 2:20:57I just didn't think my leg would get cut off. I was heartbroken.
2:20:57 > 2:21:01I thought my life was over and I was as good as dead.
2:21:04 > 2:21:07Children lose their lives in war,
2:21:07 > 2:21:09or they lose their parents.
2:21:09 > 2:21:13Either way, it's us children that suffer.
2:21:19 > 2:21:23'Obaidullah has been waiting for three years for this day to come.
2:21:23 > 2:21:26'Because today he's getting a new leg.'
2:21:30 > 2:21:31That's it.
2:21:36 > 2:21:40TRANSLATION: 'It's joyful, isn't it? I am happy today.
2:21:40 > 2:21:44'I don't even feel like it's not a part of me.'
2:21:50 > 2:21:53'This war has seen many children injured by the fighting,
2:21:53 > 2:21:56'but something that's really shocked me
2:21:56 > 2:22:00'is that sometimes children are actually carrying out attacks.'
2:22:04 > 2:22:07I'm on my way to a local children's prison
2:22:07 > 2:22:10and there are kids there being held
2:22:10 > 2:22:13suspected of being involved in terrorist attacks.
2:22:26 > 2:22:29It's just quite nerve-wracking.
2:22:29 > 2:22:31It's quite nerve-racking to be here at the moment,
2:22:31 > 2:22:35because these kids, they've been involved in this war
2:22:35 > 2:22:37in such a way, in such a heavy way.
2:22:37 > 2:22:40They've been involved in the attacks themselves.
2:22:40 > 2:22:42I never, ever really thought
2:22:42 > 2:22:45that I'd ever get to see or meet kids like this.
2:22:48 > 2:22:52'This 15-year-old boy spent a month in a training camp
2:22:52 > 2:22:56'being encouraged to risk his own life fighting for the Taliban.'
2:23:00 > 2:23:02TRANSLATION: Our teachers told us
2:23:02 > 2:23:04that the foreign troops are the enemy
2:23:04 > 2:23:07and they are here in Afghanistan to destroy Islam.
2:23:07 > 2:23:10They will not leave us in peace, we must stand up against them.
2:23:13 > 2:23:16'He was on his way to carry out a suicide attack
2:23:16 > 2:23:19'when he was caught by the police.'
2:23:21 > 2:23:24TRANSLATION: Like everyone, I love my family,
2:23:24 > 2:23:27but I love God more.
2:23:27 > 2:23:30And they told me that doing this would make God happy.
2:23:32 > 2:23:35Did you know that this was right or wrong?
2:23:35 > 2:23:37No, I was too young.
2:23:38 > 2:23:42If you got released from here, would you do it again?
2:23:43 > 2:23:48No, I'd go home and go back to school and play cricket every day.
2:23:56 > 2:23:59I find it hard to understand how a cricket-mad boy
2:23:59 > 2:24:03could be persuaded to do such a terrible thing.
2:24:05 > 2:24:07Kids here have to grow up very fast.
2:24:07 > 2:24:10The idea of children being injured by rockets
2:24:10 > 2:24:12or carrying out suicide attacks
2:24:12 > 2:24:15would be unimaginable in most countries.
2:24:18 > 2:24:21But in other ways the war has made Kabul
2:24:21 > 2:24:23feel like any British city.
2:24:29 > 2:24:33TRANSLATION: We are the first girls to skate on the streets of Kabul.
2:24:36 > 2:24:39'Over the last ten years,
2:24:39 > 2:24:42'lots of Western culture has been imported,'
2:24:42 > 2:24:44but my favourite has to be
2:24:44 > 2:24:47Afghanistan's answer to the X Factor.
2:24:47 > 2:24:49It's a show called Afghan Star
2:24:49 > 2:24:51and I'm about to get behind-the-scenes access.
2:24:54 > 2:24:57Because music and television were banned under the Taliban,
2:24:57 > 2:25:00a show like Afghan Star could never have existed.
2:25:00 > 2:25:03But now it's watched by more people than Britain's X Factor
2:25:03 > 2:25:06and is the most popular show in all of Afghanistan.
2:25:08 > 2:25:12I've been told that this little black room is the make-up room
2:25:12 > 2:25:15and it's where Anahita, my favourite contestant, is.
2:25:15 > 2:25:17So hopefully we'll get to see her.
2:25:19 > 2:25:22How are you? There she is.
2:25:22 > 2:25:24- Hi.- How are you? Oh, I'm sorry.
2:25:24 > 2:25:26I won't disturb you. How are you doing?
2:25:26 > 2:25:29I'm a little nervous, because someone is going to be eliminated.
2:25:29 > 2:25:33- So someone's being eliminated?- Yes. - Well, you're going to be amazing.
2:25:33 > 2:25:35I'm going to be out there cheering for you.
2:25:35 > 2:25:38So, good luck and I'll see you afterwards.
2:25:38 > 2:25:41CHEERING
2:25:50 > 2:25:54'Unlike our X Factor, not only can people vote for who they like,
2:25:54 > 2:25:56'but they can also vote for who they want to leave.'
2:25:59 > 2:26:01'And that's not the only difference.'
2:26:01 > 2:26:04CHEERING
2:26:04 > 2:26:06'Afghanistan is still an Islamic country'
2:26:06 > 2:26:09and so they don't believe in mixing girls and boys.
2:26:09 > 2:26:11That's why the audience,
2:26:11 > 2:26:13girls are sitting in one corner
2:26:13 > 2:26:16and the boys are sitting in another corner.
2:26:17 > 2:26:20'In Afghanistan, girls have always had morals to live by.
2:26:20 > 2:26:22'Many people believe that Ana
2:26:22 > 2:26:25'shouldn't be allowed to take part in shows like Afghan Star
2:26:25 > 2:26:27'because she's a girl.'
2:26:27 > 2:26:29The reactions and the feedback
2:26:29 > 2:26:32that I'm getting from most of the people who are here in Afghanistan
2:26:32 > 2:26:34are not that much good.
2:26:34 > 2:26:36Some of them are trying to...
2:26:36 > 2:26:40Some of them are trying to ban me from coming on the stage.
2:26:40 > 2:26:42- To ban you?- Yeah.- Why?
2:26:42 > 2:26:46They are thinking that girls do not have the right
2:26:46 > 2:26:49to participate in such kind of shows. Some of them warn me...
2:26:49 > 2:26:51When you say warn, what do you mean?
2:26:51 > 2:26:54- Have they threatened you?- Yeah.
2:26:55 > 2:26:57They were saying that
2:26:57 > 2:27:02if you come out, if we get a opportunity
2:27:02 > 2:27:04to find you,
2:27:04 > 2:27:07then they might do something...
2:27:07 > 2:27:10But I want to ignore all those things.
2:27:10 > 2:27:12And I do not want to talk more about this,
2:27:12 > 2:27:14because I'm getting more scared.
2:27:14 > 2:27:18I want to concentrate on my work, and I will.
2:27:18 > 2:27:19Cos I love it.
2:27:19 > 2:27:23CHEERING
2:27:23 > 2:27:25Anahita's in the bottom three,
2:27:25 > 2:27:29- so...her dreams could end right now. - SHOUTING
2:27:33 > 2:27:35Anahita...
2:27:37 > 2:27:40CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
2:27:40 > 2:27:44She's been saved by the judges, she sings for another week.
2:27:44 > 2:27:46This is no different to what you get back home,
2:27:46 > 2:27:48it's still incredibly tense.
2:27:51 > 2:27:55Ana's story shows how new freedoms aren't accepted by everybody.
2:27:55 > 2:27:57Give me a hug.
2:28:00 > 2:28:03Even the everyday things can't be taken for granted.
2:28:08 > 2:28:11This school has been opened for nearly six years,
2:28:11 > 2:28:15but not everyone believes that girls have a right to come here.
2:28:15 > 2:28:18These students worry that when the foreign troops leave
2:28:18 > 2:28:21the Taliban may return and close their school.
2:28:23 > 2:28:25I think if the Taliban came back,
2:28:25 > 2:28:28we might have to go underground
2:28:28 > 2:28:30to study and continue our school.
2:28:30 > 2:28:33And I think we might have some problems,
2:28:33 > 2:28:35or we wouldn't be secure,
2:28:35 > 2:28:37because Taliban don't like girls to go to school.
2:28:37 > 2:28:39What do you think?
2:28:39 > 2:28:41If they are Taliban or the other people,
2:28:41 > 2:28:43they are going to put a bomb...
2:28:43 > 2:28:47Or put many other things...
2:28:47 > 2:28:50inside or next to the school.
2:28:50 > 2:28:54So we have to... We all have to stand against them and tell them,
2:28:54 > 2:28:58"No, it's also girls that should go to school."
2:28:58 > 2:29:02But, you know, in the UK, where I'm from, it's completely normal.
2:29:02 > 2:29:04Wow, it's very good.
2:29:04 > 2:29:06One day in Afghanistan
2:29:06 > 2:29:09it will be also normal for girls and boys to go to school
2:29:09 > 2:29:13and I think we are the ones who are going to make it.
2:29:16 > 2:29:17These schoolgirls are great,
2:29:17 > 2:29:21so I asked them and Ana to join me for my last night in Kabul.
2:29:27 > 2:29:31I'm just waiting for my favourite girls to turn up
2:29:31 > 2:29:33and we're going to do a bit of shopping.
2:29:33 > 2:29:36And there they are, hanging out!
2:29:36 > 2:29:39Hi, hello. How are you?
2:29:39 > 2:29:42Look at those shoes!
2:29:44 > 2:29:47This one is for you? Yeah?
2:29:47 > 2:29:50# Baby, take a chance I will never, ever know
2:29:50 > 2:29:52# I got money in my hands that I really want to blow. #
2:29:52 > 2:29:54Justin Bieber!
2:29:54 > 2:29:56'Spending time in a modern mall with the girls
2:29:56 > 2:29:58'makes me feel like I could be anywhere in the world.
2:29:58 > 2:30:01'But just as we started to forget we were in a warzone
2:30:01 > 2:30:03'there was a shocking reminder.'
2:30:04 > 2:30:06It's good.
2:30:06 > 2:30:09SIRENS WAIL
2:30:11 > 2:30:13We have to go. There's been a bomb.
2:30:13 > 2:30:16Just leave it alone. Let's go.
2:30:20 > 2:30:23There's been an explosion somewhere in the city
2:30:23 > 2:30:26and there's sirens and police cars going in all directions
2:30:26 > 2:30:28and we have to get to somewhere safe.
2:30:31 > 2:30:33It just happened so quickly.
2:30:34 > 2:30:37I'm not even sure if it's real or not.
2:30:46 > 2:30:48MAN SHOUTS
2:30:51 > 2:30:53So the blast was quite powerful, actually.
2:30:56 > 2:31:00I was literally just over 100 metres away.
2:31:02 > 2:31:03And the eeriest thing,
2:31:03 > 2:31:05the strangest thing of all,
2:31:05 > 2:31:07the thing that's really hard to accept...
2:31:07 > 2:31:11is that I was here a couple of days ago having dinner.
2:31:14 > 2:31:18Last night the Taliban killed 21 people here.
2:31:19 > 2:31:22But in this city the children have become used to these attacks
2:31:22 > 2:31:25and life doesn't stop for long.
2:31:28 > 2:31:3120 years ago my family and I left here for a safer life.
2:31:31 > 2:31:36Today's kids of Kabul are again facing an uncertain future.
2:31:38 > 2:31:40Despite this, the children I've met
2:31:40 > 2:31:42seem the same as children everywhere.
2:31:42 > 2:31:46They want a country where they can play, where they can learn,
2:31:46 > 2:31:49follow their dreams...
2:31:51 > 2:31:53..and just be children.