Hidden in the basement of a private home in the Afghan capital Kabul, gym instructor Laila Ahmad takes a group of women through a clandestine exercise class — the windows are blacked out, there is no pumping music and visitors arrive by a back door.
The Taliban banned women from gyms and parks last month, another clampdown in a progressive erosion of their freedoms that drew swift international condemnation.
But Ahmad, a 41-year-old divorcee with qualifications in bodybuilding and yoga, remains defiant.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.