Our enemies are those who have funded and promulgated -Wahhabi-style Islam through radical madrasahs in the Islamic world.

“The guard was whispering on the phone, ‘Three madrasah people are here, and they don’t want to go, they’re not leaving.’

After completing high school she studied at a madrasah for a degree in Islamic studies, donning a “head to heel” burqa and gloves for classes.

The seasonal closing of Pakistani madrasahs — a fertile breeding ground for the Taliban’s ranks — due to summer heat, is thought to be a key reason for the escalation.

The Clay Bird was based on Masud's own experiences as a child at a madrasah during the violent civil war between a poorly armed population and the US-backed Pakistani military forces.