‘It’s more than martial arts – we teach courage‘: the Afghan sisters honing karate skills in Iran

Mandana and Maryam train in a group with other students of their sister Shokoufeh, at Kouhpaye Park in Shiraz in September 2021 Photograph: Ali Mohammadi Rad

Shokoufeh Jafari was only two when her family fled Afghanistan. In August 1998, as the Taliban closed in on the Bamiyan valley and targeted families of former military personnel, the Jafaris crossed the border into neighbouring Iran in search of refuge.

Now 29, Shokoufeh and her sisters, Maryam, 23, and Mandana, 20, have built a life in the city of Shiraz defined by resilience and a passion for Kyokushin karate.