Volleyball
Afghan women's national team volleyball player was not beheaded by Taliban
The news published by The Bridge earlier on beheading of an Afghanistan Volleyball player turns out to be fake. The error is regretted.
Afghan national team volleyball player beheaded by Taliban. (Source: Independent Persian)
The Bridge had earlier reported that a female Afghanistan volleyball player, Mahjubin Hakimi, was beheaded by the Taliban in October. It has been brought to our notice by fact-checking website Alt News that the news is fake. The error is regretted and necessary changes have been made in the article.
It was earlier reported that despite making a statement that the Taliban has banned public execution until a higher court's order, in a shocking turn of events, it was learnt that the Taliban militants allegedly beheaded an athlete of the Afghan junior women's national volleyball team.
According to a report by Independent Persian, the Taliban slaughtered Mahjubin Hakimi, a member of the Afghan women's national volleyball team who played in the youth age group in Kabul. One of the coaches of the Afghan women's national volleyball team confirmed that the athlete had been killed but said that no one other than the athlete's family knew the exact time and manner of the incident.
Mahjabin played for the Kabul Municipality Volleyball Club before the collapse of the previous Afghan government and was one of the club's most successful players. A few days ago, pictures of Hakimi's severed head circulated on social media which was the prime evidence of her killing.
However, a family member of Mahjabin has confirmed to Alt News that she was not killed by the Taliban in October.
"She was not killed by the Taliban in October. Mahjabin's death occurred on August 6 and her body was found in her fiancé's bathroom in Kabul. He claimed Mahjabin suffocated herself to death. However, our family suspects foul play by her in-laws."
It is to be noted that the Taliban took over Afghanistan on 15th August 2021, almost ten days after Mahjabin's death.
The Afghan national women's volleyball team was established in 1978 and has long been a beacon of hope and empowerment for young girls in the country.
