[custom_adv] Maram Atayee, 16, a pianist at the Afghan National Institute of Music poses for a picture in Kabul, Afghanistan, December 22, 2018. "The thing I'm most worried about is that if they return, I'll not be able to continue playing music," said Atayee. " [custom_adv] Anosh Sarwari, 23, who works at a coffee shop, poses for a picture in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 29, 2019. "We are thirsty for peace. We want peace so people can run their businesses and live comfortably," Sarwari said. [custom_adv] Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan, located in the eastern section of the country. It is also a municipality, forming part of the greater Kabul Province. [custom_adv] Afghan model Sultan Qasim Sayeedi, 18, poses for a picture in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 14, 2019. Sayeedi scours Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to learn about fashion and modelling and draws inspiration from his favourite models, including Saudi Arabia's Omar Borkan, and Canadian popstar Justin Bieber. [custom_adv] Afghan singer Wasim Anwari, 19, poses for a picture at the Afghan Star talent show at Tolo television studio in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 16, 2019. "Peace means a lot to me so I can carry on with my artistry but without peace there is no hope for a better future," Anwari said. [custom_adv] Kabul is located high up in a narrow valley between the Hindu Kush mountains, with an elevation of 1,790 metres (5,873 ft) making it one of the highest capitals in the world. [custom_adv] Nadim Quraishi, 19, poses for a picture outside his game zone shop in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 26, 2019. "We want to see an end to the current conflict in the country. We are hopeful for a lasting peace between the government and the Taliban," Quraishi said. [custom_adv] Afghan model Omid Arman, 21, poses for a picture in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 14, 2019. "Everyone has the desire for peace in this country. We've witnessed a lot of conflicts, it's enough, we don't want to be witnesses for any more tragedy," Arman said. [custom_adv] The city is said to be over 3,500 years old, mentioned since at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire. It is at a strategic location along the trade routes of South and Central Asia, and a key location of the ancient Silk Road. [custom_adv] In the early 19th century, the British occupied the city but after establishing foreign relations they were compelled to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan. The city was occupied by the Soviets in 1979 but they too abandoned it after the 1988 Geneva Accords were signed. [custom_adv] Kabul is known for its gardens, bazaars, and palaces. It was also formerly a mecca for young western hippies. Since the removal of the Taliban from power in late 2001, the city began rebuilding itself with assistance from the international community. [custom_adv] Despite the many terrorist attacks by anti-state elements, the city is developing and was the fifth fastest-growing city in the world as of 2012. The city is divided into 22 districts.
