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In Pictures

Gallery|Human Rights

‘I lost four sons’: In Kashmir, women suffer brunt of conflict

Women’s Day is a grim reminder of atrocities and hardships faced by the women of the region in decades-long conflict.

Women attending the funeral prayers of a rebel in Shopian district of South Kashmir. Shopian and Pulwama districts have remained hotbed of local insurgency after killing of charismatic rebel commander
Women attending the funeral prayers of a rebel in Shopian district of south Kashmir. Shopian and Pulwama districts have remained hotbeds of local rebellion after the killing of charismatic rebel commander Burhaan Wani, in 2016. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
By Aijaz Nazir and Sameer Mushtaq
Published On 6 Mar 20196 Mar 2019
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Anantnag, Indian-administered Kashmir – Women in Kashmir have suffered immensely as the conflict in the region continues.

Many have lost their husbands, sons or fathers. There are also around 1,500 “half-widows” who remain unaware of their husbands’ whereabouts.

“I have lost four sons. Three of them were rebels. The fourth took food to the rebels, and was killed in an encounter,” said Nabza Bano, an 83-year-old who lives in a small house in the Somdbraide village of the south of Kashmir.

Bano vaguely remembers the time when her sons died. She told Al Jazeera her life has become more miserable since her husband’s death three years ago. He died due to kidney problems.

Kashmir remains a pending dispute between two nuclear nations, India and Pakistan. Both countries have fought two wars over the region and more than 70,000 people have lost their lives in the past three decades.

Khurshi, the 85-year-old mother of Manzoor Ahmed, mostly remains silent inside her half-dark room. She is unaware of her son’s death.

Ahmed was in the Indian army and was killed in the Sunjuwan attack in the Jammu region in early 2018.

“She keeps asking about him and doesn’t know he is no more,” said Ahmed’s sister. “She keeps waiting for her son’s phone call.”

Arif Magribi Khan, a psychiatrist who also runs an NGO for patients with physiological problems in Srinagar, said they have “witnessed higher patient inflow after the 2016 unrest”.

“The basic cause is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When a woman loses her family member, the PTSD remains unattended for months which leads to more serious problem and becomes an uphill task to overcome,” said Khan.

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Shakeela’s husband was a policeman and got killed when insurgents attacked him and his colleagues to free their fellow from police custody outside a hospital in Srinagar. "My children keep enquiring a
Shakeela's husband was a policeman and he was killed when rebels attacked him and his colleagues outside a hospital in Srinagar. 'My children keep inquiring about their father as they are unaware what has happened to him. I am unable to answer their questions at times,' said Shakeela. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
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Women have been flocking to funerals of rebels in large numbers more especially post 2016. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
There are around 1,500 half-widows in Kashmir, longing for their husbands' return. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
A young man taking away a frightened woman from an encounter site in Khudwani area of South Kashmir. Kashmir has witnessed unexpected increase in insurgency and encounters from past few years.
A young man taking away a frightened woman from an encounter site in Khudwani area of south Kashmir. The region has witnessed an unexpected increase in resistance and encounters in the last couple of years. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women''s Day is a grim reminder of atrocities and hardships faced by the women of region in decades long conflict. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Nabza Bano has lost four sons to the Kashmir conflict. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Mother of a local rebel, Asif Malik shouting slogans on his funeral in South Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Mother of a local rebel, Asif Malik, shouts slogans at his funeral in south Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women''s Day is a grim reminder of atrocities and hardships faced by the women of region in decades long conflict. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Naseema Bano has been waiting for her husband's return for the last 16 years. He is one of the more than 10,000 disappeared persons in Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
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Women in Kokernag area of South Kashmir wailing while looking at the body of slain rebel after encounter took place in the area. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women in Kokernag, south Kashmir, mourn the death of a rebel after an encounter with the security forces. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
A bullet hit Yasmeena’s daughter, Muskaan in her head at their home in Wanigund, Kulgam, when brief fight between Indian security forces and rebels took place near their house.
A bullet struck Yasmeena's daughter, Muskaan, in her head during a gunfight between Indian security forces and rebels at their home in Wanigund, Kulgam. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women''s Day is a grim reminder of atrocities and hardships faced by the women of region in decades long conflict. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Khurshi, the 85-year-old mother of Manzoor Ahmed who was in the Indian army, is unaware of her son's death. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women pray outside shrine in Anantnag town of South Kashmir. Due to continuing turmoil, women in Kashmir have been going through immense hardships. For instance the mother who loses her son is being s
Women pray outside a shrine in the town of Anantnag in south Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Mother of Kashmiri rebel who crossed the Line of Control in early 20’s to receive the arms training in Pakistan administered Kashmir and never returned. With the beginning of insurgency in Kashmir in
This is the mother of a Kashmiri rebel, who in his early 20s, who crossed the Line of Control and never returned. With the beginning of the rebellion in Kashmir in the early 1990s, many local young boys crossed over into Pakistan-administered Kashmir to receive arms training and fight against Indian rule. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women watching funeral prayer of a rebel in Arwani village in South Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women watching the funeral prayer of a rebel in Arwani village in south Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
Women''s Day is a grim reminder of atrocities and hardships faced by the women of region in decades long conflict. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]
A woman prays at a Sufi shrine in south Kashmir. [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera]


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