For over a decade, bullets and battle cries were part of Mustafa Bakshi’s life. But it wasn’t a bullet’s sting on a battlefield that marked his final moment. Instead, the oppressive silence of a coal mine in Samangan province bore witness to the end of his story, a poignant testament to the tumultuous journey of an unsung hero of Afghanistan.
Mustafa Bakshi, who once wore the proud uniform of the Afghan National Army’s elite commandos, fought fiercely for his country during the era of a Republic now relegated to the annals of history. He became a beacon of resistance for thirteen unrelenting years, from mountain crests to dusty plains, even as the republic teetered on the edge of oblivion.
War scars adorned his body, silent testimonials of close encounters with death. Yet, every wound he bore only intensified his passion. His dedication was such that even on the eve of the republic’s tragic end, August 15, 2021, Mustafa remained at his post, still fostering a fragile hope.
Delving deeper into his past, Mustafa’s journey to the frontlines began amidst adversity. Childhood was a series of sacrifices, a relinquishing of dreams. At a teenage age, when most kids would be immersed in school tales, he grappled with the weighty responsibilities of fending for his family. From shepherding flocks to back-breaking manual labor, young Mustafa tasted life’s bitterness early on. He was already well-acquainted with life’s harsh terrains when he donned the army uniform at eighteen.
However, the promise to serve his nation meant long absences from his parents, beloved wife, and children. Brief reunions with family, nestled between the relentless battles across Afghanistan’s diverse terrain, became his only solace. Precious moments were spent in the embrace of loved ones once a year, with the knowledge that another stretch of isolation awaited. Such sacrifices and long years of service could’ve earned many promotions, but Mustafa’s rank and incentives never changed. Unlike others who shifted to safer posts after brief stints on the frontline, he remained an unwavering sentinel across Afghanistan’s treacherous western fronts.
However, the world shifted on its axis when the government and the Army suddenly collapsed; and darkness began to creep in. Those in positions of power, from influential politicians to high-ranking officers, sought sanctuary abroad in safe havens. Mustafa was left wandering, haunted by the shadows of the very enemies he fought against. Doors were shut in his face, and calls went unanswered; voices he once trusted became haunting silences. Abandoned and desolate, with the weight of despair pressing down on him, Mustafa found refuge in the tunnels that would mark the end of his journey.
Months elapsed in those cavernous depths, and Mustafa’s identity as a commando faded into the shadows. With their suffocating darkness, the mines had become both a refuge and a prison for Mustafa. Whenever the mines ceased their operations, the world outside became more dangerous for him. The omnipresent threat of the Taliban and their relentless spies hung over him, a dark cloud of anxiety. Stories of captured officers and soldiers tortured and slaughtered weren’t just whispered rumors. They were cold, haunting realities. Mustafa was caught in an agonizing dance, oscillating between the desire for freedom and the fear of recognition.
He found a momentary escape from this suffocating reality during the New Year holidays. The mines fell silent, and Mustafa made the arduous journey back to the warmth of his family. His homecoming, though filled with love, as he held his wife close and looked into the eyes of his children, his happiness was overshadowed by the looming uncertainty of unemployment and the fear of the underlying threats that lurked just beyond their doorstep.
As the holidays ended, Mustafa found himself returning to the mines. But new challenges were awaiting him: the once thriving and bustling coal market had grown stagnantly. The same tunnels that once echoed with the sounds of labor now reverberated with the sighs of countless day laborers, who, like Mustafa, watched their sole source of income wither away.
In a desperate quest to earn a living, Mustafa found himself knocking on the doors of various employers until fate led him to an illicit coal mining company. They offered him work in a long-abandoned tunnel, a venture with his own risks. Yet, risks had become a way of life for the desperate Mustafa.
Mustafa faced his ultimate foe in the suffocating darkness – a cloud of toxic gas. Despite rescue efforts falling short, one of Afghanistan’s courageous soldiers bid a tragic farewell to his life filled with hardships in the cold embrace of the coal mine.
