Ashraf Ghani

One year of Taliban rule

How life has changed for Afghans

On 15 August 2021 the Taliban overthrew the government in Afghanistan and seized power. One year later, the country is facing multiple challenges that demand immediate global attention. Ahmad Hakimi reports
Taliban Afghanistan

Afghan girls attend "secret school"

After coming to power, the Islamist group imposed a ban on girls' education, prompting some Afghans to set up an underground school. Hussain Sirat and Ahmad Hakimi spoke to some of the girls who are determined to continue their studies
The Longest War – 20 years of the "War on Terror"

Afghanistan: Emran Feroz' chronology of a disaster

The "War on Terror" has not only failed in Afghanistan, it has exacerbated insecurity and generated more terrorism. This is the main thrust of journalist Emran Feroz in his book, which was published, appropriately enough, 20 years after the attacks of 11 September 2001 and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan by the USA and NATO. Behnam Said read the book for Qantara.de
"Neo-Taliban" in Afghanistan?

Democracy Taliban-style

In league with the village mullahs: the Taliban have taken Afghanistan by storm. The rebels' victory is the result of a social revolution in Afghanistan, writes Joseph Croitoru in his analysis
Afghanistan and its neighbours

Is the Taliban takeover still in Pakistan's interest?

It is no secret that sections of the Pakistani security services have maintained close relationships with the Taliban for years. So what do Pakistan’s leaders expect from this victory, and what effect will it have on the country? Answers from Mohammad Luqman
The West's failure in Afghanistan

Authors of 'War on Terror' in denial to the bitter end

How could the Afghan government and its institutions collapse so quickly? That things were going wrong in Afghanistan had been obvious for a long time, yet the West preferred to look the other way, writes Emran Feroz
Raw materials attract China

Why Afghanistan should be filthy rich

To date, the Taliban have profited from the opium and heroin trade. Now the militant group effectively rules a country with valuable resources that China needs to grow its economy. Background by Nik Martin
Taliban in the ascendant

Joe Biden and America’s withdrawal of choice

The swift fall of Kabul recalls the ignominious fall of Saigon in 1975. Beyond the local consequences – widespread reprisals, harsh repression of women and girls, and massive refugee flows – America’s strategic and moral failure in Afghanistan will reinforce questions about U.S. reliability among friends and foes alike. By Richard Haass
Afghanistan in the hand of the Islamists

Taliban rule the second time round – what to expect?

In the wake of the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, it makes sense to take a closer look at their ideology. Can they contribute to a peaceful order? German Afghanistan expert Thomas Ruttig recently outlined his view in an essay for a U.S. Military Academy West Point publication. By Rishikesh Thapa
Taliban enter Kabul

Afghan women and girls fear return to "dark days"

The Taliban’s rapid-fire advance through Afghanistan has left women and girls, a whole generation of whom have grown up with rights and freedoms, among the most vulnerable. Now they stand to lose those hard-won gains as the Taliban seize control of Kabul. Nicole Trian reports
Taliban on the rise in Afghanistan after US pullout

After the withdrawal of NATO troops, the Taliban are recapturing more and more territory in Afghanistan. Afghans who worked with the NATO troops are in particular fear for their lives and are desperate to flee the country.
Germany and its Afghan interpreters

"Why are you leaving me behind?"

I regret very much that I worked for the Bundeswehr. If the Taliban knock on my door, I hope they shoot me right away. Guest article by Ahmad Jawid Sultani