Afghan wedding halls light up sombre Kabul nights

Wedding halls are “the brightness of the city”, says one operator. “Here, everyone is very happy.”

Sun, 16 Feb 2025

By Qubad Wali and Claire Gounon, with photography by Wakil KohsarAs night settles over Kabul, only a few small lights and neon signs pierce the darkness and thick blanket of winter pollution.But on some street corners, glittering, colossal wedding halls loom out of the gloom, a rare display of opulence in the Afghan capital.The city of more than six million people is often plunged into shadow due to ubiquitous power outages, which only the wealthiest can remedy with expensive generators or solar panels.Apart from a few vendors, the streets are...

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