No One Asked Their Names

In the days following the rogue US soldier's shooting spree in Kandahar, most of the media, us included, focused on the "backlash" and how it might further strain the relations with the US.

Many mainstream media outlets channelled a significant amount of energy into uncovering the slightest detail about the accused soldier - now identified as Staff Sergeant Robert Bales. We even know where his wife wanted to go for vacation, or what she said on her personal blog.

But the victims became a footnote, an anonymous footnote. Just the number 16. No one bothered to ask their ages, their hobbies, their aspirations. Worst of all, no one bothered to ask their names.

In honoring their memory, I write their names below, and the little we know about them: that nine of them were children, three were women.

The dead:

Mohamed Dawood son of Abdullah

Khudaydad son of Mohamed Juma

Nazar Mohamed

Payendo

Robeena

Shatarina daughter of Sultan Mohamed

Zahra daughter of Abdul Hamid

Nazia daughter of Dost Mohamed

Masooma daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Farida daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Palwasha daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Nabia daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Esmatullah daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Faizullah son of Mohamed Wazir

Essa Mohamed son of Mohamed Hussain

Akhtar Mohamed son of Murrad Ali



The wounded:

Haji Mohamed Naim son of Haji Sakhawat

Mohamed Sediq son of Mohamed Naim

Parween

Rafiullah

Zardana

Zulheja