The National

Afghan mountain climber

  • Zabih Afzali pictured on Mount Davinder in Herat, 2018. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali pictured on Mount Davinder in Herat, 2018. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali sits at the edge of a lake at the Mount Shah Fuladi base camp, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali sits at the edge of a lake at the Mount Shah Fuladi base camp, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali holding a pick axe on Mount Shah Fuladi in Bamiyan, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali holding a pick axe on Mount Shah Fuladi in Bamiyan, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali and his friends attempted to climb Mount Mir Samir in Panjshir, December 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali and his friends attempted to climb Mount Mir Samir in Panjshir, December 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Taken in the Hindu Kush mountains near the Salang Pass, central Afghanistan, July 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Taken in the Hindu Kush mountains near the Salang Pass, central Afghanistan, July 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali and his friend pictured on Mount Noshakh last year. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali and his friend pictured on Mount Noshakh last year. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih on Mount Shah Fuladi in Bamiyan province, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih on Mount Shah Fuladi in Bamiyan province, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali, pictured on the right, with friends, on the expedition up Mount Shah Fuladi, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali, pictured on the right, with friends, on the expedition up Mount Shah Fuladi, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali holding the Afghanistan flag having submitted Mount Shah Fuladi, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
    Zabih Afzali holding the Afghanistan flag having submitted Mount Shah Fuladi, June 2020. Courtesy Zabih Afzali
  • Zabih Afzali sits in his friends' office in Kabul making phone calls to get everything organised ahead of a trip to Bamiyan for a mountain expedition over the Eid holiday. Charlie Faulkner for The National
    Zabih Afzali sits in his friends' office in Kabul making phone calls to get everything organised ahead of a trip to Bamiyan for a mountain expedition over the Eid holiday. Charlie Faulkner for The National
  • Zabih Afzali and his friend wrap up a sleeping bag together on the roof terrace of an office in Kabul as they prepare for a mountain expedition in Bamiyan over the Eid holiday. Charlie Faulkner for The National
    Zabih Afzali and his friend wrap up a sleeping bag together on the roof terrace of an office in Kabul as they prepare for a mountain expedition in Bamiyan over the Eid holiday. Charlie Faulkner for The National