The Counter Narcotics Police have accomplished a campaign in which they have rounded up all drug addicts from Pul-e-Sukhta, a bridge in the west of Kabul,and other areas in the city and have moved many of them to rehabilitation centers.

The Pul-e-Sokhta area was used by drug addicts for almost 10 years. 

The campaign was carried out in coordination with Ministry of Public Health and other relevant organizations, police said.

“We arrested (drug) sellers and rounded up drug addicts. A small number of them has remained in some parts of the city,” Ahmad Ahmadi, counter narcotics officer of Kabul police, said. 

Meanwhile, some drug addicts who were rounded up from Pul-e-Sukhta area narrated bitter stories to TOLOnews journalist Gulabuddin Ghubar about the condition ruling under the bridge for years.

Hashmatullah, a drug addict, said he lived under the Pul-e-Sukhta bridge for four years.

He said crimes were happening under the bridge, but no one was there to stop or investigate it. 

“There were individuals who were killing others and there was no one to investigate them,” said Hashmatullah. 

Khalid, a drug addict, who speaks in five languages, said he was living in Saudi Arabia with his family.

He said he turned into a drug addict just three days after he was deported to Kabul.

“I do not let other drug addicts to come here. I have a stick on my hand to prevent those who want to come here. This is what I do here,” Khalid said. 

The bridge now looks clearer than before, but it still showcases sad stories of those who lived there, used drugs and lost their lives. 

“They were stealing things from people’s houses and shops during the day,” Abdul Raziq, a resident of the area, said. 

Statistics show that at least three million people are addicted to drugs in Afghanistan.