World

Meet Afghanistan's first female pilot since fall of Taliban

Captain Niloofar Rahmani, 23, has been honoured with the US Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award

Web Desk April 14, 2015

PHOTO: XINHUA

Afghanistan's first female pilot to serve the Air Force since the fall of the Taliban has defied many odds.

Despite many threats from the Taliban and even members of her own extended family, Niloofar Rahmani, 23, became the first female fixed-wing Air Force aviator in Afghanistan's history and also the first female pilot in the Afghan military since the demise of the Taliban in 2001.

In recognition of her services, she has been honoured with the US Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, along with nine other inspirational women across the world at a ceremony last week.

Read: Don't let anyone kill your dreams says India's only woman Muslim pilot

Rahmani was only 18-years0old when an the Afghan Air Force announced to recruit pilots.

PHOTO: XINHUA

She said that she had dreamed of becoming a pilot since she was a little girl and spent almost a year studying English in order to be able to attend flight school.

She enlisted in the Afghan Air Force Officer Training Program in 2010 and graduated as a Second Lieutenant in July 2012.

PHOTO: XINHUA

Captain Rahmani flew her first solo flight in a Cessna 182 and decided she wanted to fly even larger aircraft. She attended advanced flight school and began flying the C-208 military cargo aircraft.

PHOTO: XINHUA

Even though women are traditionally banned from transporting dead or wounded soldiers, Captain Rahmani defied the orders when she discovered injured soldiers during a mission.

Read: Pakistan fighter pilot wins battle of sexes, now she's ready for war

She then flew the injured men to a hospital and reported her actions to her superiors who chose not to impose sanctions on her.

PHOTO: XINHUA

When her achievements were made public, Captain Rahmani's family received threats from the Taliban, as well as family members, who disapproved of her ambition and career choices.

Many have taken to Twitter in support of the pilot.

Presenting the amazing Niloofar Rahmani, 1st female Afghani Air Force Pilot. Watch her take flight via @HuffPostIndia http://t.co/7VkY9NiQPa
— The Female Lead (@the_female_lead) April 14, 2015

Here I am with #womenofcourage awardee Capt. Niloofar Rahmani, the 1st Afghani fixed wing aircraft pilot in history pic.twitter.com/RyacXf2OlW
— Michele Manatt (@MicheleManatt) March 7, 2015

Aah. The Afghani female pilot is my namesake. :)
— Bambi (@LucknawiRooh) April 14, 2015

The first Afghani female combat pilot is HAAAAWWWTT!!!!http://t.co/4WKNo35H7P
— Bielema's Beer Belly (@BielemasBelly) April 14, 2015

This article originally appeared on Mail Online

COMMENTS (4)

Baba O' Riley | 9 years ago | Reply Afghan women were some of the most progressive and educated in the region until the 80s and then came the retarded Mujahidin and the Taliban respectively, which retarded the advancement of women. Afghanistan is on the up and up and better days are ahead. I'm surprised that after 15 years of western engagement in Afghanistan they have not learned the difference between an Afghan and the currency of the country called Afghani.

blue | 9 years ago | Reply That's impressive. Hope relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan improve. The ordinary person has suffered so much for far too long in Afghanistan.

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woody | 9 years ago | Reply @XYZ:

Muslim societies have been inherently progressive and favored participation from all walks of life “espacially” women.

Hope your being sarcastic as you won't find many/any non Muslims who would agree with that - doubt you would find many Muslim women who would agree either.

XYZ | 9 years ago | Reply Muslim societies have been inherently progressive and favored participation from all walks of life "espacially" women. This is not to deny that "today" muslim women have been restricted under the name of Islamic and social values. Per my limited knowledge, it is the "lack" of Islamic education (and education in general) that has led many muslim societies to restrict women. Historically (for those who are interested in history), at the peak of Muslim empire, it was Islam who introduced the concept of equal rights and progressive status of women in society. Some examples: - Fatima Al Fihri founded Al Qarawiyin, one of the great universities in Fes, Morocco. The university is still in existence. - Merriam al-Ijliyah al-Astrulabi hand-crafted astrolabes for the ruler of Aleppo in northern Syria, so necessary for navigation and to keep track of prayer times. - Lady Mary Wortley Montagu wasn’t a Muslim, but she learned about rudimentary inoculations against smallpox in Turkey, where her husband was ambassador, and brought the technique back to England Participation of women in Army medical core is the concept brought forth by Muslims. The concept of troops rotation during their deployment so that they can come home regularly to fulfil the rights of their wives was introduced by Muslims (currently in practice by US Armed Forces). There are many examples. I hope someday, Muslims themselves are able to learn and implement what actual Islam is in terms of women and minority rights.

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