Taliban police rescue woman imprisoned in room for 25 years

A woman who was imprisoned in a dark room for 25 years in the Afghan capital has been rescued by police, the Taliban Interior Ministry announced on Thursday.

The woman was held in a room full of debris and rubbish, according to disturbing images released by the ministry.

She was given food through a window.

“She feels unsafe and afraid whenever she sees other people,” ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qani said as he described her ordeal.

The woman is being treated in a Kabul hospital after been subjected to mental and physical harm.

“Malnourished, she has also become severely anaemic,” a doctor said.

Her bones were worn and her joints were damaged, according to medics.

She suffered years of turmoil after a separation from her first husband, with further problems including infertility, her brothers’ criminal activities and a dispute over inheritance, according to the police.

They arrested four of her family members including her brother and nephews.

Police say the case is being fully investigated.