Afghanistan Under Taliban Rule: The Collapse of Rights and Humanitarian Crisis:
The world watched as Afghanistan quickly returned to the Taliban in August 2021, ending the United States’ 20-year engagement in the country. A dark age has begun for the Afghan people, especially women and minorities, as a result of the Taliban’s quick repositioning of its strict version of sharia-based law, despite early promises of moderation.
The nation is now under authoritarian leadership, marked by severe limits on liberties and harsh punitive measures, as a result of the reversal of hard-won democratic and human rights. Afghanistan is currently experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world as a result of this deterioration, economic collapse, widespread food insecurity, and the catastrophic effects of climate change.
The already precarious security situation is made worse by extremist groups like the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), who continue to take advantage of the unrest by attacking civilians violently. The consequences of the Taliban’s comeback, the breakdown of Afghanistan’s social progress, and the wider ramifications for regional and global stability are all examined in this article.
This research offers a critical viewpoint on the difficulties presented by the Taliban’s comeback and the developing humanitarian crisis by examining Afghanistan’s decline into authoritarianism and crisis through the prism of international relations.
In response to the Taliban’s quick territorial gains, the Afghan government and the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) collapsed, shocking not just American and ally officials but also the Taliban itself, according to reports. The rate at which the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 was unexpected, even though intelligence pointed to a worsening security scenario.
The Biden administration responded by approving the deployment of more U.S. troops to aid in the evacuation of Afghans who had collaborated with U.S. forces, American staff, and ally nationals.
But there were tragic events during the evacuation. On August 26, 2021, the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for two suicide bombs outside Kabul airport that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghan civilians. For American forces in Afghanistan, this was one of the worst days since 2011.
Further issues beset the evacuation despite efforts to ensure a safe departure. Ten civilians, including children, were tragically killed in the last U.S. drone strike on August 29, 2021, which was meant to stop an impending threat to evacuated personnel. U.S. military officials described the hit as a “tragic mistake” when it was investigated by major media sites, but no individuals were disciplined.
The chaotic departure and the larger American mission in Afghanistan were the subject of increasing debate as a result of the Pentagon’s handling of this episode.
Following the U.S. withdrawal, more than 120,000 Afghans were flown and transported throughout the world, with about 76,000 of them taking sanctuary in the US. The rights and liberties acquired over the previous 20 years have been rapidly eroded for individuals left behind during life under Taliban rule. The Taliban’s comeback has disproportionately affected women and girls.
The regime’s extreme interpretation of Islamic law has resulted in the closure of secondary schools for girls, severe movement restrictions for women, and the reinstatement of public executions and corporal punishment.
Afghanistan is still susceptible to terrorist strikes in the midst of this difficult political climate. Due to the Taliban’s incapacity to secure the nation, extremist organizations—most notably ISIS-K—have been able to continue bombing civilians and foreign missions. With little chance of rapid relief for its people, Afghanistan’s future is seriously threatened by this ongoing instability and a worsening humanitarian scenario.
With six million people on the verge of starvation by the middle of 2022 and 95% of families without food, Afghanistan is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The situation has gotten worse due to climate change, extreme weather, and rising food prices, which have been made worse by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Because of the sanctions, lack of aid, and blocked central bank assets, which have caused inflation to soar, the Afghan economy is on the verge of collapse. The international community’s unwillingness to work with the Taliban, which is still unacknowledged because of its draconian rules against women and girls, hinders efforts to offer aid.
The Doha Agreement had a pivotal role in the collapse of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) after the U.S. withdrawal, according to a report published in May 2022 by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
The deal was seen by many Afghans as a betrayal that made it easier for the Taliban to seize power. Because of corruption and reliance on American assistance, the ANDSF was ill-prepared to maintain security even after receiving close to $90 billion in U.S. security funding. Accusing the Trump administration of failing to sufficiently prepare for the withdrawal, the Biden administration was criticized for the messy leave.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaida, was killed in Kabul on August 1, 2022, and President Biden denounced the Taliban for hiding him in violation of the Doha Agreement.
Afghanistan Three Years After the Taliban Takeover:
After international soldiers left the country in August 2021, Taliban insurgents took back Kabul and reestablished their authority over Afghanistan. Using in-depth research from around the nation, Crisis Group specialist Graeme Smith considers the events since the Taliban’s comeback to power in this Q&A.
What has transpired since the Taliban took control?
When the previous Afghan government fell following the U.S. and NATO withdrawal, the Taliban retook power in Kabul. Their triumph essentially put a stop to peace talks with other Afghan factions after twenty years of fighting. The Taliban swiftly put in place a new administration that no foreign country or international body has acknowledged.
Western donors halted development assistance that had provided 75% of the previous government’s budget after this shift. Afghanistan entered a severe economic and humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the war economy’s sudden collapse, among other reasons.
With the state on the verge of disintegrating, civil officials unpaid, and the value of the national currency severely depreciated, millions of Afghans fought to survive their first winter under Taliban rule.
In August 2021, after the former Afghan government collapsed and NATO and U.S. soldiers withdrew, the Taliban took over Kabul. Their victory put a stop to peace talks with other Afghan factions after they had fought against foreign troops for almost 20 years. The Taliban quickly proclaimed a new government, which no foreign state or international organization has acknowledged.
Western donors swiftly halted development assistance, which had previously accounted for 75% of the budget of the previous administration. A severe economic and humanitarian crisis engulfed Afghanistan as a result of this abrupt closure and the breakdown of the war economy.
During their first winter under Taliban authority, millions of Afghans endured extreme suffering, with the national currency falling, the state on the verge of collapse, and civil officials going underpaid.
This Article is written by Mr. Asif Ali Shah who is graduated in International Relations from the SZABIST University, Islamabad. He is a Geopolitical content writer (Pakistan and South Asia)
