The Taliban have ruled Afghanistan for 3 years. Here are 5 things to know

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

By Riazat Butt

Associated Press / Washington Post

August 14, 2024

KABUL, Afghanistan — It’s been three years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. They have transitioned from insurgency to authority, imposed their interpretation of Islamic law and sought to reinforce their claim to legitimacy.

Despite no international recognition as the country’s official rulers, the Taliban enjoy high-level meetings with major regional powers like China and Russia. They even attended United Nations-sponsored talks while Afghan women and civil society were denied a seat at the table . It was a triumph for the Taliban, who see themselves as the country’s only true representatives .

There’s no domestic challenge to their rule, and no overseas appetite to support one. Wars in Ukraine and Gaza draw the international community’s focus, and Afghanistan doesn’t represent the same terror threat it once did. But challenges remain.

Here are five things to know about the Taliban in power.

Culture wars and rewards

The Taliban supreme leader sits atop a pyramid-like ruling system as a paragon of virtue. Mosques and clerics are on one side. On the other is the Kabul administration, which implements clerics’ decisions and meets with foreign officials.

“There are different levels of extremism, and the Taliban are in an uneasy coalition of ruling hard-liners and political pragmatists . It has put them in a culture war ,” said Javid Ahmad, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute.

The most controversial policies are unlikely to be reversed while supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is in charge — and supreme leaders don’t retire or resign. They lead until death.

It’s wishful thinking that diverging opinions are enough to divide the Taliban, said Ibraheem Bahiss with Crisis Group’s South Asia program. “The Taliban are unified and will remain a political force for many years. They rule as one group, they fight as one group.”

To maintain cohesion and ensure discipline, seasoned Taliban have moved from the battlefield into bureaucracy, getting top jobs in government and provinces.

“You have to give them a reward for playing a significant role in the insurgency,” Ahmad said. Other perks can include a free hand in the running of a province or permission to have a third or fourth wife, a new pickup truck, a share in customs fees or the keys to a house.

Running the country

Bahiss called this “the strongest Afghan government in modern times. They can exact a decree to the village level.”

Civil servants keep the country running and are more likely to have a formal or technical education. But the Taliban leading civilian institutions have no proper knowledge of how such institutions are run. “Their qualifications come from God,” Ahmad said.

The Taliban’s legitimacy to govern doesn’t come from Afghans but from their interpretation of religion and culture, said Leena Rikkila Tamang with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

If a government is defined by the trust and buy-in of citizens, recognition by international powers and legitimacy through processes like elections, then the Taliban do not qualify as a government, she said.

Keeping the lights on

Afghanistan’s economy has weakened. In 2023, foreign aid still made up around 30% of the country’s GDP.

The U.N. has flown in at least $3.8 billion to fund international aid organizations during the past three years. The United States remains the largest donor, sending more than $3 billion in assistance since the Taliban takeover. But the U.S. watchdog assigned to follow the money says a lot is taxed or diverted.

“The further the cash gets away from the source, the less transparency there is,” said Chris Borgeson, the deputy inspector general for audits and inspections at the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction .

The Taliban also apply vigorous taxation. In 2023, they collected around $2.96 billion. But that’s not much in a country with huge and complex needs , and the Taliban don’t have the means to stimulate the economy.

The central bank can’t print money. Cash is printed abroad. Interest transactions are banned because interest is forbidden in Islam, and banks aren’t lending. The Taliban can’t borrow money because they’re not recognized as the government, and international banking is cut off.

Natural disasters and the flow of Afghans fleeing Pakistan under pressure to return home have underlined Afghanistan’s reliance on foreign aid to meet essential needs.

It’s a big risk if the international community can’t send that kind of aid in the future. “We know Afghanistan will start receiving less money from the international community,” said Muhammad Waheed, World Bank senior economist for Afghanistan.

Another significant blow to the economy has been the Taliban’s ban on female education and most employment, removing half of Afghanistan’s population from the spending and taxpaying that can strengthen the economy.

In addition, the Taliban’s anti-narcotics policy “has wrecked the livelihood of thousands of farmers,” said Bahiss, warning that “just because the population is complacent right now, it won’t stay that way.”

Diplomacy and the global stage

Afghanistan is a small country in a neighborhood of giants, Bahiss said, and there’s a regional consensus that it’s better to have a stable Afghanistan.

But support from the West, especially the U.S., is key to unlocking billions in frozen assets and lifting sanctions.

The Taliban’s links with China and Russia are important because they are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. They have also occupied seats on the United Nations’ Credentials Committee , which decides whether to withhold or bestow legitimacy on a government.

For now, Gulf nations are engaging with the Taliban to hedge their bets. “Qatar likes to be seen as leading mediation efforts and the (United Arab Emirates) has been taking that away, especially through supporting international aviation ,” Bahiss said.

A meeting this year between the leader of the UAE and a Taliban official facing a U.S. bounty over attacks highlighted the growing global divide on how to deal with the Taliban.

The Taliban are keen to stress how effective they are as a government and to show the country is peaceful and that services are being provided, said Weeda Mehran, an international relations lecturer at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.

Although Afghanistan has lost dozens of media outlets due to a Taliban crackdown, the country’s rulers have grasped the impact of social media. Their content is intended to normalize their approach to Islamic law, which is where Arabic-language messaging is important.

“It’s a watered-down and whitewashed account of what is happening in the country,” Mehran said.

Secure, but not safe

The Taliban have secured Afghanistan through checkpoints, armored vehicles and hundreds of thousands of fighters. But the country is not safe, especially for women and minorities, as civilian casualties from suicide bombings and other attacks persist.

The Islamic State group has repeatedly targeted the mostly Shiite Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood in Kabul. The police, slow to confirm attacks and casualty numbers, tell the media that investigations are underway but don’t say if anyone is brought to justice.

A newer phenomenon is the anxiety experienced by Afghan women as the Taliban enforce decrees on clothing, work and travel and the requirement to have a male guardian when traveling.

“A message for the mainstream media is that it’s OK and there is good security in Afghanistan under the Taliban,” Mehran said. “My argument would be, well, whose security are we talking about?”

Taliban celebrates three years of return to power in Afghanistan

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

Al Jazeera

Afghanistan’s Taliban has celebrated three years in power with a military parade, paying homage to its homemade bombs, fighter aircraft and goose-stepping security forces.

The Taliban’s armed forces towed Soviet-era tanks and artillery pieces through Bagram, the former United States airbase, where Chinese and Iranian diplomats were among hundreds who gathered for the parade and speeches on Wednesday.

The airbase served as the lynchpin for the US-led operations against the Taliban for two decades.

Taliban forces seized Kabul on August 15, 2021, after the US-backed government collapsed and its leaders fled into exile. The anniversary is marked a day earlier on the Afghan calendar.

The Taliban government remains unrecognised by any other state, with restrictions on women, who bear the brunt of policies the United Nations has called “gender apartheid”, remaining a key sticking point.

“Three years have passed since the dreams of girls have been buried,” Madina, a 20-year-old former university student in Kabul, told AFP news agency.

“It’s a bitter feeling that every year, the celebration of this day reminds us of the efforts, memories, and goals we had for our future.”

Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who had been scheduled to appear at Bagram, praised the Taliban authorities’ victory over “Western occupiers” in a statement read by his chief of staff.

The Taliban government has “the responsibility to maintain Islamic rule, protect property, people’s lives and the respect of our nation”, he said.

Security has been a priority for Taliban authorities as they consolidated their power over the past three years, implementing laws based on their strict interpretation of Islam.

Rugby player Samiullah Akmal praised the day’s events, saying it was “better than other years”.

“As a young man, I see Afghanistan’s future is bright… We are independent and the people surrounding us are our own.”

‘Uncertain future’

While many Afghans expressed relief at the end of 40 years of successive conflicts, the economy remains stagnant and the population mired in a worsening humanitarian crisis.

“The past three years have been some of the worst of our lives,” said 26-year-old Zalmai, who works for a non-profit and only gave his last name.

“I don’t know what security the Taliban are talking about. People are hungry, the youth don’t have jobs… both girls and boys are facing uncertain future,” he said.

In a report, Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid said there have been attempts to revive the economy, but no country accepts Afghanistan’s rulers as the legitimate government and major international financial restrictions are in place.

“The Taliban says it inherited a bankrupt country in a corrupt economic system reliant on foreign aid,” Bin Javaid said. “The Afghanistan national bank’s foreign reserves have also been confiscated by the US.”

A joint statement from international nongovernmental groups warned of the growing aid funding gap, with 23.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

Women have been squeezed from public life – banned from many jobs as well as parks and gyms – and barred from secondary and higher education.

Alison Davidian, the UN Women’s head of the Afghanistan country office, told Al Jazeera that “three years ago, a woman in Afghanistan could technically decide to run for president. Now, she may not even be able to decide when to go buy groceries.

“I’m not saying that three years ago, it was perfect. It was not perfect. But it wasn’t this.”

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

On Anniversary of Taliban Takeover, Glee, Mourning and an Embrace of Jihad

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

By Christina Goldbaum and Yaqoob Akbary

Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan

The New York Times

Aug. 15, 2024, 10:55 a.m. ET

Celebrations marking the third year since the U.S. withdrawal are amplifying a divide in Afghanistan over what principles it should be governed by.

The parade of cars rolled through Kabul from morning until night, clogging the streets in end-to-end traffic. Crowds of Taliban and their supporters lined the routes, chanting “God is great!” and “Long live the mujahedeen!” One truck dragged an American flag, a red X drawn across its stars and stripes.

Outside the old U.S. embassy, young children — maybe 6 or 7 years old — wearing military fatigues stood on the top of a gray Toyota pickup, clutching small white Taliban flags. A dozen others crammed into the back of the truck, white flags draped over their shoulders. Yet more flags were stapled onto wooden poles, waving in the air.

“Our way is jihad!” a man shouted through a loudspeaker from the passenger seat. The children responded: “Long live jihad!”

With August in Afghanistan come weeks of celebrations marking the anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal — the last American planes peeled off the runway at Kabul’s international airport on Aug. 30, 2021 — and the Taliban’s return to power.

The month has become a time of victors and vanquished, the swell of white flags marking conquered territory, just as past empires planted their own banners. It is also a time of heightened emotions, seeming to amplify the gulf between those who support the Taliban’s conservative rule and those who embraced the liberal ideals of the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

The country remains deeply divided over fundamental questions of what principles it should be governed by, and what ideals it should hold. The only point of consensus seems to be that three years into Taliban rule — with its extreme version of Shariah law — it is here to stay.

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As ordinary Afghans have adjusted to their new reality, so too have Taliban fighters. Once scrappy insurgents crafting homemade explosives and plotting ambushes from mountain hide-outs, they now serve as traffic cops, security guards and government bureaucrats. Many can count on one hand the number of times they have fired their weapons in the past three years, each one a celebration of sorts — the Eid holiday or a winning match for Afghanistan’s national cricket team.

Among the Talibs who have come out on the streets to celebrate, there has been a palpable itch for a return to jihad and martyrdom — the only way to live an honorable life, many say, and a guiding belief instilled in them since they were children in Taliban-run madrassas.

“In these three years, we are fixing the roads, helping other people, but we want to continue the jihad,” Panjshiri Shinwari, 27, said on Wednesday when the celebrations commenced. A Taliban fighter who joined the movement during the U.S.-led war, he now works for the government’s intelligence agency, the General Directorate of Intelligence.

He and a group of friends had joined the celebrations at Mahmood Khan Bridge, which stretches over the Kabul River, now a dry channel of weeds and sewage.

“I want to go to Palestine,” Mr. Shinwari continued. “We are all ready to continue our jihad in Palestine!”

“No, it’s Pakistan’s turn,” another young Talib, Ashiqullah Naziri, 19, piped in.

“Our first enemy is Pakistan. They destroyed our country,” he added, referring to the support that Pakistani authorities gave to American troops in Afghanistan. “We can’t just leave them alone after that!”

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As they spoke, a swell of young Talibs converged around them. Most wore cargo pants, American-made combat boots and black long-sleeve T-shirts with a faded logo of what looked like an American commando stamped on its shoulder. The Talibs’ embrace of the style of American soldiers is just one of the many ways the country has been turned on its head since the takeover.

“For jihad!” one of them yelled. The crowd cheered.

The anniversary celebrations span the country. In Kandahar, the Taliban’s southern heartland, a convoy of armored cars from the emir’s special protection force paraded through the city on Wednesday. In Helmand Province, another stronghold, a procession of motorcycles carrying the Taliban’s flag rode through the capital. And at Bagram Air Base, once America’s largest military post in Afghanistan, a procession of repurposed American tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters took over the runway.

In Kabul, the celebratory convoy of cars — a mix of government-owned and private vehicles — crawled around the city’s main squares. Many had large flags hanging out of all four windows, a version of the Shahadah, or the Muslim profession of faith, embossed on the white fabric. As the summer breeze picked up, the flags grew taut and the Arabic words decipherable.

At the Mahmood Khan roundabout, a Taliban policeman sat in the passenger seat of his forest green Ford Ranger, singing a tarana — a religious chant with a melody but no musical accompaniment — into a loudspeaker. A group had surrounded his vehicle, small flags tucked into the folds of their black turbans.

“The candle of success and freedom came back to our country! The sun of freedom came again to our sky!” the man sang. “Congratulations to all Afghans, independence has come again!” The Talibs in the crowd held their cellphones in the air, taking videos during the song.

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But for other Afghans in the city, its lyrics rang hollow.

“It is a black day for Afghans,” said Esmatullah, 25, a doctor who is among Afghanistan’s Hazara ethnic minority, which was persecuted by the Pashtun-dominated Taliban during their first time running the country, in the 1990s. “I felt like a migrant today, like I was not in my country,” he added.

Esmatullah, who asked to be identified only by his first name for fear of retribution for speaking against the government, is trying to avoid the celebrations. He said they served as a reminder not of Afghanistan earning its freedom, but of being conquered by Pashtuns.

Still, for many ordinary Afghans who suffered at the hands of foreign and Afghan republic soldiers, the anniversary is not so much a celebration of the current government as it is of the end of two decades of war.

“War is gone, death is gone,” said Barakatullah Azizi, 23.

Mr. Azizi’s three brothers all joined the Taliban during the war, he said, while he worked as a shopkeeper in Kabul to earn money for his family. One of his brothers, Mansour Azizi, was killed nine years ago in an ambush by Afghan republic soldiers.

His brother’s death haunted him for months, he said. Every day, when he saw republic soldiers in the capital, he wondered which of them had killed his brother, and from whom he should seek revenge.

Now, he says, he walks through the city streets at ease.

“There is peace,” he said. “That’s what we are celebrating.”

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Safiullah Padshah contributed reporting.

Christina Goldbaum is the Afghanistan and Pakistan bureau chief for The Times, leading the coverage of the region.

Afghan journalist: ‘We work in fear’

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

By Roshan Noorzai

Voice of America

August 14, 2024 1:55 PM

WASHINGTON — At a radio station in Afghanistan’s eastern Logar province, the managing editor says he double checks everything before broadcasting, making sure that “nothing is against the Taliban and their policies.”

His intense checking of content is just one of many ways journalists like him have changed how they work since the Taliban took power.

“We work in fear,” said the editor, who has worked in journalism for around 10 years and asked not to be named out of security concerns.

“What if something goes on air that the Taliban don’t like? We try to make sure that it doesn’t create problems for us, for our colleagues and the radio,” he said.

Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan three years ago, they have tightened their grip over what can and cannot be broadcast and have increased restrictions on media. But not all rules are laid out clearly, and journalists are at risk of arbitrary detention or having licenses revoked.

The Taliban’s “systematic persecution” of media means it is “not easy for journalists to fulfill their mission of providing news and information to the citizens,” said Gul Mohammad Graan, president of the Afghanistan chapter of the South Asian Association of Reporters Club and Journalists Forum, or SJF.

The radio editor told VOA that media in Afghanistan “can’t even air the voices and complaints of local communities.”

The restrictions have resulted in a significant decline in press freedom in Afghanistan, according to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which is known as RSF.

The country is currently ranked the third-worst for media freedom, coming in at 178 out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index, where 1 shows the best media environment.

In 2021, just before the Taliban takeover, it ranked 122.

Afghanistan third worst in world for press freedom

A Taliban spokesperson did not respond to VOA’s request for comment. But the Taliban have previously said that media have unrestricted freedom and support from the government if they follow the country’s laws and Islamic values.

Declining numbers

Like other provinces, Logar has seen a drop in the number of journalists due to financial and political problems.

The radio journalist said the province has 30 journalists — all of them men — who work in five nongovernment-affiliated radio stations — a 50% decrease from 2021.

The decline is a trend seen across Afghanistan. In the first three months of the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, 43% of the media outlets closed, and more than two-thirds of the 12,000 media workers lost their jobs, according to RSF. The country’s female journalists were among those most affected.

Afghan Radio Squeezed by Economic, Political Pressures

Only a few female journalists remain in the profession because of rules that they must cover their faces on TV or cannot travel without a close male guardian.

Additionally, women are denied access to official sources, said a journalist and member of a media watchdog group in Afghanistan who requested anonymity. Some have said they were not allowed to enter press conferences and government buildings.

“There are no female journalists in most of the provinces, particularly in the southern and eastern provinces,” the radio journalist said. He added that the Taliban’s strict restrictions, compounded by economic problems, have made it difficult for women to work in the media sector.

‘Threats, detentions continue’

Large numbers of journalists have fled Afghanistan since August 2021. Those still working in the country do so under increasing pressure.

“There are no cases of journalists killed in the past few months. But threats, detentions and pressure on journalists have continued, and journalists work in an environment of fear,” the journalist said.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center has documented 181 media violation cases in the past 12 months, including 133 cases of threats, the suspension of several licenses, and 48 arrests.

But the watchdog said a positive change in the third year of the Taliban’s rule is a reduction in the number of targeted attacks on journalists.

No clear policies

Part of the problem for Afghanistan’s media is uncertainty.

A month after seizing power, the Taliban issued 11 directives for broadcasting in the country, which watchdogs and journalists said was the Taliban’s plan to control and censor news and information.

The Taliban’s spokesperson said on several occasions that the media law under the former government remained in force.

Taliban Show ‘No Commitment to Press Freedom’

But a Kabul-based journalist who requested his identity not to be disclosed told VOA the Taliban are not clear about their own media policies.

“The reason that it is so difficult to work under the Taliban is that there are no laws,” the journalist said. “For a journalist, it is difficult to know how the Taliban would react to content, as there are many Taliban departments involved in dealing with media.”

RSF has also found that to be the case.

“The situation is particularly confusing for journalists who receive directives from many different parts of the government,” its research states.

Despite the restrictions, Graan of SJF said the media still have “a positive impact,” creating awareness and informing the public of local and international events.

“Even with all these limitations under the Taliban, I think it is important that the media continue their work,” he said.

Back in Logar province, the radio journalist remains hopeful that things for media will improve.

“We are here in Afghanistan. We don’t have any other place to go. And we will continue,” he said.

Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, says UNESCO

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

BY RIAZAT BUTT

Associated Press

August 15, 2024

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, a United Nations agency said Thursday. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education.

The Taliban, who took power in 2021, barred education for girls above sixth grade because they said it didn’t comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. They didn’t stop it for boys and show no sign of taking the steps needed to reopen classrooms and campuses for girls and women.

UNESCO said at least 1.4 million girls have been deliberately denied access to secondary education since the takeover, an increase of 300,000 since its previous count in April 2023, with more girls reaching the age limit of 12 every year.

“If we add the girls who were already out of school before the bans were introduced, there are now almost 2.5 million girls in the country deprived of their right to education, representing 80% of Afghan school-age girls,” UNESCO said.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment.

Access to primary education has also fallen since the Taliban took power in Aug. 2021, with 1.1 million fewer girls and boys attending school, according to UNESCO data.

The U.N. agency warned that authorities have “almost wiped out” two decades of steady progress for education in Afghanistan. “ The future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy,” it added.

It said Afghanistan had 5.7 million girls and boys in primary school in 2022, compared with 6.8 million in 2019. The enrollment drop was the result of the Taliban decision to bar female teachers from teaching boys, UNESCO said, but could also be explained by a lack of parental incentive to send their children to school in an increasingly tough economic environment.

“UNESCO is alarmed by the harmful consequences of this increasingly massive drop-out rate, which could lead to a rise in child labor and early marriage,” it said.

The Taliban celebrated three years of rule Wednesday at Bagram Air Base, but there was no mention of the country’s hardships, nor promises to help the struggling population.

Decades of conflict and instability have left millions of Afghans on the brink of hunger and starvation and unemployment is high.

Afghanistan at risk of becoming a ‘Forgotten Crisis,’ warn aid agencies

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Tolo News

August 15, 2024

Heavily dependent on humanitarian aid, Afghans are trapped in cycles of poverty, displacement, and despair. Without international support, Afghanistan risks becoming a forgotten crisis, according to a statement from 10 aid organizations released on Tuesday.

The aid organizations emphasized the urgent need for long-term development assistance to address the root causes of poverty in Afghanistan.

Signatories warned that diminishing humanitarian funding is severely impacting daily life, with reduced funding for medium and longer-term programs exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and increasing the humanitarian burden.

Action Against Hunger (ACF), CARE International, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and other agencies highlighted the dire situation, noting that 343 mobile health teams have shut down this year, which is 52% of the total.

The closure of these health teams has significantly affected the health and nutrition response, leaving populations unable to access essential lifesaving services.

The statement emphasized that the ongoing crisis cannot be managed with humanitarian aid alone and requires a comprehensive, sustained, and contextualized response from the international community.

Diplomatic engagement is crucial for creating an environment in Afghanistan that supports scaling up international aid efforts to include both development projects and emergency assistance.

This comes amid suppressive policies by the Taliban, which exacerbate the current crisis in the country and the group’s unwillingness to adhere to international law.

The current isolationist stance of many donor countries is not conducive to finding durable solutions to the challenges faced by Afghanistan, particularly for children, women, and marginalized groups.

Despite improvements in security, Afghanistan continues to face severe issues, including an economic crisis, the legacy of conflict, climate change impacts, and gender crises.

Humanitarian actors in Afghanistan argue that inaction from the international community is causing significant suffering for the most vulnerable populations, particularly women and girls.

To prevent deeper poverty and isolation, donors must support the return of development and long-term funding to build resilient communities. They also urged donor governments to reassure financial service providers to facilitate transactions in Afghanistan and ease current funding transfer impediments.

23.7 million Afghans dependent on humanitarian aid, OCHA reports

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

August 15, 2024

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported this week that 23.7 million people in Afghanistan are reliant on humanitarian aid.

OCHA stated in a post on X on Tuesday that 48 percent of Afghanistan’s population lives below the poverty line, and 12.4 percent are experiencing food insecurity.

The UN office highlighted that economic poverty has significantly worsened in recent years.

According to OCHA, of the more than $30 billion budget requested by the organization for 2024, only 25 percent has been funded.

The agency has urged countries and aid organizations to maintain their support through humanitarian aid distribution programs in Afghanistan.

Amid these concerns, several other aid organizations have also warned that Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian crises.

Since the Taliban took power, Afghanistan has been marked by severe restrictions on human rights, particularly for women and girls. Over the past three years, there has been a notable suppression of girls’ education and severe violations of human rights, further aggravating the humanitarian situation.

The international community remains concerned about the Taliban’s policies and their impact on humanitarian efforts.

The restrictive measures and human rights abuses under the current regime have exacerbated the country’s dependence on aid and hindered progress toward long-term recovery and stability.

UN: Women and Girls in Afghanistan need urgent support

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

August 15, 2024

The United Nations has reported that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains dire, largely out of the media spotlight.

The organization stated that the Taliban’s restrictions have made Afghan women and girls increasingly vulnerable and in need of more support.

The UN’s Asia-Pacific division called for global attention to Afghan girls in a social media post on Thursday, August 15th.

Over the three years of Taliban rule, the group has issued numerous decrees targeting women. Taliban policies have barred girls from attending schools beyond the sixth grade and have excluded them from universities.

Meanwhile, women have also been denied basic rights such as sports, visiting parks, engaging in social and political activities, and traveling.

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is compounded by the fact that 23.7 million people are living in poverty, with a significant portion being children and women. This immense need highlights the critical situation facing the most vulnerable populations, who are disproportionately affected by the ongoing crisis.

The severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban have exacerbated the hardships faced by these groups, making it increasingly difficult for them to access essential services and support. The international community’s response remains crucial to addressing the needs of these individuals and alleviating the broader humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Amnesty International: Women activists in Afghanistan express deed frustration with current conditions

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

Fidai Rahmati

Khaama Press

15 August 2024

Amnesty International, marking three years of the Taliban’s rule, has stated that the international community has left Afghanistan with little hope during this period.

On Thursday, August 15, the organization released a report based on interviews with 150 Afghan citizens, including women’s rights advocates, academics, youth, civil society members, and journalists.

The report highlights that many women have lost their jobs over the past three years under the Taliban’s rule and are now in a state of despair, with the international community failing to address their plight.

The report was compiled following interviews in 21 provinces of Afghanistan and 10 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, and Pakistan.

The report also highlighted that the “Taliban continue to commit human rights violations against the Afghan people, particularly women and girls, with absolute impunity.” As Samira Hamidi notes, “The world is still wringing its hands as the Taliban continue violating human rights.”

Amnesty International emphasized that the international community has left Afghanistan with minimal hope. Previously, the organization had urged the Taliban administration in Afghanistan to uphold and protect human rights.

The situation for women in Afghanistan remains particularly dire, with widespread restrictions impacting their access to education, employment, and basic freedoms.

The ongoing international inaction and the Taliban’s repressive policies have left many women and girls in a state of profound vulnerability.

Addressing these issues requires a concerted global effort to both support Afghan women and pressure the Taliban to respect fundamental human rights. Without significant intervention, the suffering of Afghan women and the overall humanitarian crisis in the country are likely to persist and deepen.

Islamic Emirate Leader Urges Justice, Unity to Strengthen Islamic System

August 15, 2024 Current News Articles

Hadia Ziaei

Tolo News

15 August 2024

Culture wars and rewards

Running the country

Keeping the lights on

Diplomacy and the global stage

Secure, but not safe

‘Uncertain future’

By Roshan Noorzai

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