Mahjubin Hakimi, a young member of the Afghan women’s national volleyball team, was allegedly beheaded by the Taliban in early October, according to Suraya Afzali, one of the coaches of the team.

In an interview with the Persian Independent, Afzali confirmed Hakimi was killed, but said no one other than the athlete’s family knew the exact time or conduct of the incident.

The incident likely remained hidden because Hakimi's family had been threatened to stay silent.

Afzali told the Independent many female athletes are “under threat,” especially those who have competed in foreign and domestic competitions, or appeared in media programs, like those on the volleyball team.

Since their recent takeover, the Taliban has been actively searching for female athletes in various cities and invading their homes, according to Afzali.

The coach said only two of the volleyball players on the team have been able to leave Afghanistan.

Recently, there have been multiple efforts to rescue female athletes from Afghanistan, but the efforts of those on the volleyball team to reach help from foreign organizations have failed.

All the players of the volleyball team and the rest of the women athletes are in a bad situation and in despair and fear," Afzali told the Independent. "Everyone has been forced to flee and live in unknown places.

The Taliban has long desired to disrupt women’s sports, according to the Independent. All women’s sports, social, and political activities have ceased, amidst safety concerns.

Hakima played for the Kabul Municipality Volleyball Club before the collapse of the previous Afghan government and was supposedly one of the club’s best players.

The Afghan women’s national volleyball team had both adult and youth age groups and has participated in international and regional competitions, winning awards.

A majority of Afghans support the team, seeing it as a way to strengthen the role of women in traditional Afghan society, according to the Independent.

The team paused activity from 1992-2002 due to a civil war and Taliban rule.