How do you imagine being kept in limbo far from your family for many years? Mentally, Taliban militants suffer severe pressures under their cruel masters – that have them over a barrel. A large number of Taliban members seem to succumb to militancy, not for the sake of religious values, but to alleviate hunger in their families. Deprivation and depression are great motive behind their terrorist acts. Some of the militants suffer from psychic wounds in battles – as they did during the war in Afghanistan.
According to a recent report released by BBC, the fighting that brought Taliban to power left many militants struggling with the psychological effects of war. One doctor recognized the problem and, although he disagreed with the Taliban’s ideology, agreed to treat them.
“I remember the first group of Taliban who came to see me,” says Afghan psychiatrist Nader Alemi. “They used to come in groups, not as individuals. When I treated one, he would spread the word. Fighters would turn up with my name on a piece of paper. They would say that I’d cured their friend, and now they wanted to be cured too. Most of them had never been to a doctor before.”
Afghan psychiatrist Alemi, who is based in Mazar-e-Sharif in the north of the country, is further quoted as saying that one day he was summoned by Akthar Osmani, Taliban’s provincial governor and a second in command to Mullah Omar, to see him for his delusion and mental disorder. A Mullah Akhtar was hearing voices – perhaps the voices of Afghan women and children who had lost their family members in Taliban’ attacks – raving in his sleep, and he, often, was not able to recognize his staff.
“This man had been on the front line for goodness knows how long, and seen goodness knows how many people killed in front of him. All those explosions and screams may still have been echoing in his head, even sitting in the comfort of his office.”
Most probably, due to massacring innocent people, Taliban’s guilty conscience tormented them severely. Their nauseating violence and barbaric acts of horror and terror still haunt the victims’ families and Afghans’ bleeding nation. Moreover, their daily attacks and explosions which increase death toll add insult to the injury. Hence, how it would be possible for the terrorists to alleviate their conscience?
Dr. Alemi’s statements uncover the militants’ state of mind and the depression they felt in their life. He says, “The reason they gave me for the turmoil in their minds was the uncertainty in their lives. They had no control over what was happening to them. Everything was in the hands of their commanders. They got depressed because they never knew what would happen from one minute to the next. Most of them hadn’t seen their families for months - they hadn’t seen their children who had grown big.” He adds that a number of the Taliban members wished to commit suicide but avoided due to Islamic values – though all their practices are against Islam. He quotes one, “Every time I go to the frontline, I wish someone would shoot me and bring an end to my life. But I still survive and hate this sort of living.”
Taliban do more harm to their families than good through joining armed groups. Their destructive role is not only tangible in the society but also for their own wives and children. It is highly ridiculous to see that for feeding their own family members, they take the lives of others. The insurgents must know that they are barking up the wrong tree. Their own family members are also traumatized by their acts of terror. As a result, the Taliban sometimes sent their wives and daughters to Alemi for treatment as well. “They too were suffering depression, because they wouldn’t see their husbands, fathers for a long time and they didn’t know what the future held for them.”
Besides being embroiled in violence and bloodshed, when one suffers from trauma, he will not be able to control his emotions or use his mind. Perhaps, the Taliban’s nefarious acts, inhuman practices, moral corruptions, etc. originate not only in their extremism but also in their mental disorder. How a rational person, who claims to fight for the sake of religious values, can justify himself for planting explosives inside Holy Qur’an or butchering the worshippers in the holy places? How he can validate victimizing innocent civilians, including women and children, on the streets? Hence, their practices clearly reveal their mental problems. It is strongly believed that a large number of Taliban still endure mentally. What would be the correct medication for them?
Taliban are urged by Afghan officials to lay their arms and join peace process. It is believed that it would be the best way to end their trauma and choose a peaceful life for their families. They have to sow the seed of peace and harmony in the fertile land of our country so that the animosity does not be handed down to their next generation. In other words, they have to feel mercy for their own children and do not train them the same way. The only members of Taliban who give up their arms breathe a sigh of relief in their life.