Keralite Vlogger Clarifies Afghanistan Arrest Claims

A woman travel vlogger from Kerala, who runs the Facebook page Backpacker Arunima, clarified that she was threatened with arrest by authorities in Bamyan, Afghanistan, rather than actually being arrested by the Mujahideen as she had previously claimed. The vlogger stated that local authorities questioned her passport, visa, and permit upon her arrival in Bamyan around 7 p.m. informing her that she had violated the law because women are not permitted to travel alone without a male companion or guide. She noted that she had previously been denied a permit in Jalalabad for the same reason.

According to the vlogger, she became extremely frightened and contacted a man who had helped her reach Bamyan. He spoke to the authorities on her behalf, and she was eventually allowed to proceed toward the Uzbekistan border after discussions. She mentioned that she had posted an Instagram story seeking rescue and had previously requested help to contact the Indian embassy. In one earlier post, she shared a translation of a communication which she described as stating she had been arrested by the Mujahideen.

Reports on the incident vary slightly in framing. Center and center left sources focus on the vlogger's correction of her previous claims and her fear regarding the country's laws. A center right source provides more granular detail from her social media posts, including her use of Google Translate and her specific interactions with local individuals, while framing the event as a clarification following an initial claim of arrest.