• A partially-sighted Afghan man sits in a coal shop in Kabul.
    A partially-sighted Afghan man sits in a coal shop in Kabul.
  • An Afghan youth helps a coal vendor to load a sack of coal onto a wheelbarrow at a shop in Kabul.
    An Afghan youth helps a coal vendor to load a sack of coal onto a wheelbarrow at a shop in Kabul.
  • Afghan youth, Aman shifts a sack of coal to be transported to Pakistan.
    Afghan youth, Aman shifts a sack of coal to be transported to Pakistan.
  • Workers load coal from Samangan province onto a truck to be transported to Pakistan.
    Workers load coal from Samangan province onto a truck to be transported to Pakistan.
  • Workers huddle around a fire during a break from loading coal from Samangan province onto trucks to be transported to Pakistan.
    Workers huddle around a fire during a break from loading coal from Samangan province onto trucks to be transported to Pakistan.
  • Afghan workers hold shovels as they wait to load coal.
    Afghan workers hold shovels as they wait to load coal.
  • Afghan workers hold shovels as they wait to load coal from Samangan province onto trucks to be transported to Pakistan.
    Afghan workers hold shovels as they wait to load coal from Samangan province onto trucks to be transported to Pakistan.
  • An Afghan boy makes notes as he sits alongside a pile of coal from Samangan province.
    An Afghan boy makes notes as he sits alongside a pile of coal from Samangan province.
  • A coal vendor looks at two youths as he leans on a sack of coal at his shop in Kabul.
    A coal vendor looks at two youths as he leans on a sack of coal at his shop in Kabul.

Normal lives: Coal mining in Afghanistan

Mark Asquith

January 15, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

Wire photography out of Afghanistan on a daily basis usually consists of the the latest suicide attack, Taliban fighters in the high mountains or security personnel on high alert.

These two small but visually arresting photo features from Reuters and AFP reveal just a small glimpse of different sides to the country

Afghanistan has potentially abundant coal resources but as most deposits are relatively deep the reserves are largely undeveloped.

*AFP

Go here for Normal lives: Bathhouses in Afghanistan

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