A woman who was imprisoned in a dark room for 25 years in the Afghan capital has been rescued by police, the Interior Ministry confirmed Thursday.

The woman was held in appalling conditions, in a filthy room, as depicted in images released by the ministry.

The ministry’s spokesman Abdul Matin Qani said the elderly woman, who has not been identified, was hospitalized after being rescued.

“She feels unsafe and afraid whenever she sees other people,” Qani said as he described the woman’s ordeal.

The woman is being treated in a Kabul hospital. Doctors have said she is severely malnourished and very anemic. She was also subjected to mental and physical “harm”.

Doctors confirmed she is very malnourished and has problems with her bones and joints.

Police say she was subjected to years of abuse after separating from her husband. Other problems that plagued her included infertility, having a brother who was allegedly a criminal and a dispute over inheritance.

Kabul police have arrested four of her relatives, including her brother and nephews. Police said the case is being investigated further.

Turkey’s Maarif Foundation officials in Afghanistan say they are ready to open their doors to girls above the sixth grade once the suspension is lifted.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the general director of the foundation Ahmad Takoor said there have been talks with the Islamic Emirate about reopening schools to girls.

“Yes, we talked with the authorities and our meetings are continuing and we will announce again when this issue becomes official; we want girls’ schools to be reopened and we are also talking and waiting for their response and our schools are ready for girls,” said Takoor.

He also said that students who graduated from Afghan-Turkish schools can get scholarships from Turkish universities.
The process of registering new students for Afghan-Turkish schools in Afghanistan has also started, he added.

The students of an Afghan-Turkish high school meanwhile are satisfied with the curriculum of the school, and also called for the reopening of girls’ schools.

Afghan-Turk Maarif Foundation has 25 schools across seven provinces in Afghanistan. They offer pre-school, primary school, high school and training centers. Thousands of students are enrolled at these facilities that employ over 1,000 staff members.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Pakistan’s Acting Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Uzbekistan presidential press service reported.

The discussions primarily revolved around the mutual efforts to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, with a particular focus on trade, economics, investment, and transportation.

The meeting also involved discussions on regional security, including an assessment of the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

It was emphasized that collaborative efforts are vital for advancing the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway, a project with significant regional implications.