Bibi Ayesha

The only female warlord in Afghanistan, Bibi Ayesha controls a force of 50-150 men in the Narin district of Baghlan Province. She shares her name with the 7th-century wife of the Prophet Muhammad, Aysha, daughter of Abu Bakr.

Also known as Kaftar ("The Pigeon"), she operated for at least two decades, fighting against the Soviet invasion and the Taliban takeover.

She dismissed notions that the roles of women in Afghanistan should exclude military roles, saying "It makes no difference if you are a man or a woman when you have the heart of a fighter."

However, she does insist that a mahram male relative, accompany her into battle.