Journey From Doom To Doon: Afghan Boy Who Saw Relatives Beheaded Now An IMA Product, For His Nation’s Army

Hailing from Afghanistan’s Jalalabad, at the age of 16, Romal Wahizada witnessed the beheading of his close relatives by the Taliban. From then on, life has never been the same.

Times of India quoted Wahizada as saying, “The attack was a show of strength by the militants. I was shaken and didn’t talk to anyone for a long time. On seeing the blood of innocents being shed, I pledged to join the defence forces.”

Only child to his parents, Wahizada grew up in a lower-middle class country in the conflict-affected region of Afghanistan. Furthermore, he said, “The cries of women and children still ring in my ears. That is what gives me courage to fight the battle against the Taliban. I wish more people like me would come forward to join the Afghan army so that the militants can be wiped out,” Times of India reported.

Before joining the National Defence Academy and then Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, he worked as an interpreter for the Australian army for about a year. At 21, he has been commissioned to serve in the Afghan National Army.

Apart from him, 48 other cadets from Afghanistan graduated on Saturday on the occasion of the 1443rd passing-out parade.