Afghan ‘girl with the green eyes’ from iconic 1985 National Geographic cover is given safe haven in Italy after fleeing the Taliban.
‘Afghan girl’ Sharbat Gula was highly celebrated on the 1985 National Geographic cover, also known as Sharbat Bibi, taken by photojournalist Steve McCurry. Her picture with her mesmerizing eyes appeared on the June 1985 cover of National Geographic. The image is of an adolescent girl with green eyes in a red headscarf looking intently at the camera
Earlier, she fled the war in Afghanistan taking refuge in Pakistian. Sharbat Gula became the face of the Afghan war after her piercing green eyes were captured in an iconic picture taken in a Pakistan refugee camp when she was just 12.
Years later, Gula was arrested in Pakistan in 2016 when authorities accused her of buying a fake Pakistani identity card in an effort to live in the country and living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers and the illiterate mother-of-four, now aged in her 40s, was also sentenced to 15 days in jail and a 110,000 Pakistani rupee (£841) fine. They deported her back to war-torn Afghanistan.
After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Gula reached out for help to leave the country and the office of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Italy organized the evacuation of Gulla.
An FBI analyst, forensic sculptor, and the inventor of iris recognition all verified her identity, National Geographic said at the time.
The Italian government will now help to get her integrated into life in Italy, the statement said.
Sharbat Gula has now finally found a safe haven in Italy, along with her four children.
