Political instability, dwindling public support and economic constraints are eroding the costly gains that the country made in combating militancy after a ghastly school attack in 2014.
Tag: Taliban
The Once Booming Drug Town Going Bust Under Taliban Rule
Funding its war against the United States, the Taliban reaped millions from boom towns trading opium, heroin and meth. Victorious, the group crushed the trade, leaving ghost towns in its wake.
What I Learned From a Reclusive Taliban Commander
Mullah Osman Jawhari led one of the deadliest assaults on American forces in Afghanistan, a battle that came to symbolize the war itself.
How America Turned Allies into Enemies in Afghanistan
The United States killed its own allies, sabotaging itself in a part of Afghanistan where it never needed to be.
Explosion in Afghanistan Kills Minister in Highest-Profile Blast Since Taliban’s Return
The government accused the Islamic State of being behind the attack, which struck at the heart of the Taliban’s power structure after years of essentially unchallenged dominance.
In a Region of Majestic Beauty, Sunnis and Shiites Wage Bloody War
In Kurram, near the Afghan border, Pakistan has been helpless to stop the latest outbreaks of a sectarian conflict that goes back decades.
What We Learned Talking to the Taliban’s Most Fearsome Leader
Sirajuddin Haqqani, who has a $10 million American bounty on his head, is now positioning himself as a figure of relative moderation.
World Opens to the Taliban Despite Their Shredding of Women’s Rights
Taliban officials have scored a series of diplomatic victories this year that have started a subtle shift toward normalizing their government.
Is Afghanistan’s Most-Wanted Militant Now Its Best Hope for Change?
Sirajuddin Haqqani has tried to remake himself from blood-soaked jihadist to pragmatic Taliban statesman. Western diplomats are shocked — and enticed.
4 Countries Accuse Taliban of ‘Gross’ Violations of Afghan Women’s Rights
Germany, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands said they will take the Taliban to the U.N.’s highest court because of its harsh restrictions on Afghan women.