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Taliban strikes back - 18th August 2021

Afghanistan has seen its seat of power, Kabul, seized by the Taliban, which had been deposed 20 years ago. The Taliban took Jalalabad in the east before marching into Kabul without any pushback from the government.

US-allied forces – which have occupied the country since 2001, after 9/11 – and Afghan citizens alike have been left aghast at the quick pace and magnitude of the Taliban’s advances.

President Ashraf Ghani's government anticipated peaceful discussions with the Taliban – however, the Taliban's speedy progress toward the capital has forced the president to flee Afghanistan, leaving Kabul defenceless.

Prior to 2001, Afghanistan had experienced the strict Taliban regime for five years, during which it instilled and practised an extreme form of Sharia law. This forbade women access to education, prevented them being seen in public without a male guardian, and demanded the donning of the burqa. People who broke Islamic law faced the death penalty, alongside other severe forms of discipline.

Concerns over the return of these strict practices have sent many flocking to the airport in an effort to escape the country. Among those fleeing are civilians who have worked with foreign troops such as interpreters who are worried about retaliation from the Taliban.

Troops from the US and the UK have been deployed in their thousands at the airport to ensure the safe exit of foreign nationals and diplomatic staff. Nevertheless, given the rapid progress with which the Taliban is taking power, it is feared that not all foreign nationals and those promised safe passage will make it out of the country. With most embassies closed in the country, governments around the world have made getting their nationals out of Afghanistan top priority.