While the world watches with a mix of shock and concern as the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan, a prominent Afghan doctor who has practiced medicine in Japan for decades is calling on Tokyo to lead the Group of Seven in providing assistance to his homeland.
Khaled Reshad, a pulmonologist who runs a clinic in Shimada, Shizuoka Prefecture, hopes Japan will help Afghans now living under Taliban rule deal with the tumultuous takeover, which has left many feeling fearful and anxious over how the change will affect their lives, including when it comes to medical care.
In an interview Thursday, the doctor said that the Taliban’s first moves have, in fact, brought about some sense of relief, as in some areas internet connections and phone networks were surprisingly still working or even restored, enabling some people to contact relatives they haven’t been able to reach for several years. Reshad was able to verify the safety of his siblings and their families, but serious concerns persist over the country's future under the Islamic extremist group.