Prominent Afghan musician and composer Dawood Sarkhosh has announced that he has successfully recovered from a severe battle with cancer, emerging from a prolonged medical hiatus that kept him away from the stage for nearly two years.
In a recent interview from Vienna, where he has resided in the diaspora, Sarkhosh shared details of his treatment, confirming that he underwent major surgery alongside intensive radiation and chemotherapy. The artist stated that he is gradually returning to health and preparing to resume his artistic activities.
Sarkhosh, widely known across the region for iconic diaspora anthems such as Sarzamin-e Man (“My Homeland”), has spent decades chronicling the themes of displacement, exile, and the struggles of the Afghan people. His prolonged absence from public performances underscored the heavy personal toll carried by cultural figures who fled the political upheaval following the 2021 transition in Kabul.
While cultural expressions, music, and public artistic freedoms face severe restrictions and bans under the de facto administration inside Afghanistan, diaspora figures like Sarkhosh continue to maintain an influential voice outside the country’s borders, reflecting the enduring displacement of Afghanistan’s intellectual and artistic community.