Photos of cockfighting in Afghanistan’s capital show a bloody pastime that flourishes in the shadows
Kabul, Afghanistan (AP) – When cockfighting begins in Kabul, the noise is immediate. Roaring “Hit!” and “Kill!” The audience burst out, the two birds harshly with each other, feathers and blood flying.
This centuries-old blood movement, once a common winter pastime, is now held throughout the year in the Afghan capital, driven not only by tradition, but by poverty, unemployment and despair.
The Taliban has banned cockfighting since seizing power in 2021. But the battle continues.
People gather in makeshift tents, gardens and alleys, grab cash and prepare birds like precious athletes. They cooled the cock with scarves and even sprayed water onto the creatures with their mouths to recover them. The claws are tied together. The beak turns into a front. Sometimes, birds get energy boosters.
The battle can last for several rounds, stopping to clean the wound and reset the feathers. When a bird can no longer continue, victory is declared.
Sometimes violence spills outside the ring. Dispute bets, leading to physical battles. Elders, known as “Whitebeest”, intervene to calm tensions before the next round.
Cockfighting is not just a game. It’s a livelihood, gambling, and it’s an obsession for many. Betting can make families poor or suddenly rich.
Mohammad, 63, is a cockfighting veteran whose lives have changed and destroyed over the decades. He recalls how a man and his two sons died in a recent deadly battle.
He said that the poor buy bonuses, and the rich lose everything.
Some owners treat birds better than their own families, spending money on groceries on special feed and medicines. They named the rooster warrior and talked about them deeply emotionally.
Despite the bleeding and illegality, the battle is still going on. In a city of conflict-shaped shapes, cockfighting remains a cruel escape, a sense of control and pride.
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