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What’s happening in Afghanistan?

All across the globe, world leaders and citizens are watching what is unfolding in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized the capital, Kabul.

Who are the Taliban?

The Taliban are a military extremist group in Afghanistan who controlled the country from 1996 to 2001.

They were formed by Afghan students – hence the name Taliban, from the Arabic world ‘talib’ meaning student – studying in Sunni Islamic schools (madrassas) in Pakistan, after fleeing Afghanistan whilst it was under Soviet occupation.

During the Afghan Civil War of 1992-1996, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan and enforced a strict version of Sharia (Islamic law).

This involved the banning of female education, music, and any documentation, photos, or drawings of living things. Men were also made to grow beards and women to wear burkas.

The Taliban were criticised for the harsh enforcements of these rules, using punishments such as stoning and even execution.

There was an organised cultural genocide under Taliban rule in which many culturally significant monuments were destroyed, including the 1500-year-old Buddhas of Bamiyan statue.

The Taliban control over ¾ of Afghanistan was ended in 2001 as part of George Bush’s ‘War on Terror.’ US military forces invaded the country, ousting the Taliban and putting in place a new government.

In response to intelligence outing the Taliban’s sheltering of Al-Qaeada and the infamous Osama Bin Laden – thought to be responsible for the infamous 9/11 attacks – the US invaded Afghanistan.

This decision has been frequently criticised by commentators for being unjustified and even illegal. Critics cite lack of evidence, as well as ulterior motives such as control over oil supplies.

‘These wars are about oil, not democracy,’ claimed Eris Margolis, defense analyst and journalist of the Toronto Sun (June 2008).

As well as its ties to extremist organisations, the Taliban are massively involved in the illegal drug business – accounting for the distribution of 84% of opioids globally over the last five years.

How the Taliban returned to power

The US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have remained a presence in Afghanistan for the last two decades, training the Afghan military.

Whilst the Taliban were forced to retreat and have remained out of power since, they have been growing stronger recently.

In April 2021, President Biden announced the withdrawal of American troops by 11th September (exactly 20 years after the 9/11 bombings.)

This followed a peace agreement between the Taliban and the US in February. However, the former has continued to attack Afghan citizens.

Biden explained that continued US presence would only lead to more American casualties in a ‘20-year war that has not been won militarily.’

By the 9th of July, the Taliban had taken more than 90 cities either through force or prior surrender by Afghan forces and on Sunday, Kabul became the final city to succumb to the Taliban.

Video footage shows members of the Taliban in the presidential palace, from which the president Ashraf Ghani fled to Uzbekistan yesterday.


What’s happening now?

The world is still waiting for Joe Biden to address the situation, but as of yesterday 1,000 more troops have been sent to join the 5,000 US troops in Afghanistan.

This forms part of a mission to evacuate personnel from the US embassy, and Afghans who have aided the US and NATO in their work.

In an interview yesterday, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace confirmed that NATO troops will not be heading back into Kabul.

Although Boris Johnson has affirmed that his first priority was getting ‘all those who have helped the UK effort over 20 years’, Wallace did not share this optimism.

‘It’s a really deep part of regret for me… that some people won’t get back.’

This statement followed a slew of disturbing videos on social media, showing Afghani citizens swarming the tarmac in Kabul airport in desperate attempts to flee. Some fell to their deaths clutching the exterior of an airborne military jet.

There has also been reports and pictures of citizens abandoning their cars and running to the airport as the Taliban neared victory in Kabul. Others attempted to escape via road borders.


What happens next?

This hysteria from citizens reflects concerns of activists in and out of Afghanistan of a return to the harshly enforced Sharia law of previous Taliban occupation.

In some parts of the country, Taliban forces have already forced changes in how women are dressing and over their choice to work.

Malala Yousafi, who was shot by the Taliban for advocating for women’s education, has expressed her shock and concern over their takeover.

She says that she is ‘deeply worried about women, minorities, and human rights advocates’.

Afghan’s Youth Ambassador to the UN Aisha Khurran tweeted about the first night under Taliban occupation of Kabul.

‘Woke up to shouting and gunfire on our doorstep. so called Mujahideen (thieves) went home by home and took away people’s cars and belongings.’

‘As they heard the Taliban were on their [way] to our area, they ran away. The chaos just began…’

Now activists are calling for people to help Afghani citizens flee the Taliban.

UK citizens are demanding government open up asylum to the thousands of Afghans who are now refugees.

Greece has warned that it ‘cannot become a getaway for migrants,’ while five Mediterranean countries are now set to convene on a strategy to help those who manage to escape.

Afghan-American writer and former refugee, Khaled Hosseini, has been on social media pleading for donations to the UN Refugee Agency.

‘The people of Afghanistan do not deserve this.’

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