'We feel abandoned by the world': Ex-Afghan women's captain on helping players escape Taliban

The former Afghanistan women’s football team captain says Afghan women feel abandoned by the world following the country’s takeover by the Taliban.

Khalida Popal, who has helped players flee Afghanistan, says they were beaten by the militant group at an airport checkpoint and had to leave their families behind.

“The show is over, the stage that was made was temporary. We were the beautiful faces standing there, talking about all the development that took place,” Ms Popal says. “We are on the ground by ourselves and there is no protection for our people. That’s what the people think in Afghanistan.”