Hundreds of fans flock to Afghanistan pop concert despite threats of attack from opposition

Defiant: Afghan female singer Aryana Sayeed performed the concert on Independence Day
AP
Chloe Chaplain21 August 2017

Hundreds of defiant music fans attended a pop concert in the capital of Afghanistan despite strong opposition and threats of an attack.

Aryana Sayeed performed to her fans at the Kabul concert amid tight security following a series of suicide attacks in the last few months.

The concert had originally been scheduled to go ahead in Ghazi stadium as part of an Independence Day celebration.

According to the BBC, more than 3,000 tickets were sold but officials said they could not guarantee security.

Singer: Aryana has received threats over her appearance
AP

But Ms Sayeed decided to go ahead with the event at a different venue.

Bahar Sohaili, who attended the concert, said: "Despite the threats, I didn't think such a big number of girls would attend here. Fortunately, the number of women is bigger than men.

"I asked some of the girls: 'Why you are here?' They told me they were here to defy those who were against the concert."

Kabul: The concert went ahead on Afghanistan's Independence Day
AP

Ms Sayeed has received death threats from those who say her long, uncovered hair and figure-hugging outfits go against Afghan culture.

But she told the BBC she was determined to go ahead with the concert to “give a bit of happiness to my fellow Afghans, who are in dire need of it at the moment”.

"There are certain people in Afghanistan who have been against music, against celebration, against even New Year, Eid and everything. I feel like today we need to stand together and fight against it," she said.

"At the end of the day, we are also human beings and these are basic human needs - music, celebration, Independence Day, New Year."

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