Dangerous roads in Afghanistan

The governor of one Afghani province was killed in a hilly district just outside Kabul, a death claimed by the Taliban. That district used to be a popular picnic spot and has become now a no-go zone. This MP says the capitol has come under pressure from almost all sides, and only the road going north out of Kabul is safe to travel. He says the Taliban are hoping to make it seem that Kabul is under siege in order to persuade foreign governments to withdraw their troops, but the message isn’t just for foreigners. The Taliban have also been winning in convincing locals that the central government is weak and foreign forces hostile occupiers. Afghans and foreigners could travel roads south safely a couple years ago, and now they take their chances by driving; foreign forces usually fly. Many travelers complain the Afghan police are nothing better than highway robbers, and these travelers don’t mention that the Taliban have been burning down schools and capturing judges. This university student says his family have forbidden him from coming back home because it’s unsafe. He’s planning on growing a beard and wearing tradition Afghan clothes before driving south to try to see his family.