Afghanistan In Panic Amidst A Resurgent Taliban

For the sake of stabilising Afghanistan, the international world and the Taliban must find a way to work together, according to the head of the UN refugee agency.

On Sunday, 15 August 2021, the Taliban swept to power in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan after a few weeks of stunning military victories. A U.S.-led invasion previously defeated the Taliban in 2001 in response to the 9/11 attack on U.S. soil; however, the organisation gradually regained strength and has mounted numerous attacks on foreign and U.S. soil since then. Overthrowing the Taliban and capturing the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks 20 years ago seemed like a direct mission until it morphed into a vast, complicated experiment to reshape Afghanistan's society that only a few Americans understood.

After a war that lasted four U.S. Presidents, costing more than a trillion dollars and tens of thousands of lives, the Taliban has retaken power in Afghanistan with a swift march across the country, barely meeting resistance, occupying the presidential palace, and driving the remaining U.S. troops to a single redoubt: an airport now swarming with Afghans desperate to flee. As the criticism of the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal continues to build, U.S. President Joe Biden argued that he had little to say in this matter due to the previously formalised peace treaty between the Taliban and Donald Trump, the former U.S. president.

As a result, the Taliban in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan prohibit any group or individual in Afghanistan from endangering the security of the United States and its allies by recruiting training or fundraising militant groups and will not host them in compliance with this agreement's promises. Those who represent a threat to the security of the United States and its allies will not be granted visas, passports, travel permits, or other legal papers by the Taliban government.

Afghanistan crowd at the tarmac of the Kabul airport on August 16, 2021, to flee the country as the Taliban were in control of Afghanistan.

The United States and its allies expressed that they would refrain from meddling in Afghanistan's internal affairs and threatening its territory or political independence. The Taliban want good ties and expect good relations with the U.S. and the next post-settlement Afghan Islamic government, as defined by intra-Afghan discussion and negotiation. The U.S. will seek economic cooperation to reconstruct the new post-settlement Afghan Islamic government, which will be determined by intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations without intervening in its internal affairs.

The Taliban's refusal to follow the treaty's guidelines is evident in the increasing violence between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Rather than negotiating a power-sharing arrangement with the Afghan government, the Taliban have begun a military effort to grab power by force, seizing the opportunity provided by the withdrawal of US forces.

Zalmay Mamozy Khalilzad, the special representative at the State Department for Afghanistan Reconciliation, made a last-ditch effort to prevent terror from spreading as fear gripped Afghanistan, with civilians fleeing to Kabul to escape the advancements of the Taliban.

A Taliban fighter stands guard over surrendered Afghan security member forces in Ghazni, southwest of Kabul, on August 13, 2021.

However, as he met with diplomats from Russia, China, and other world powers this week in Doha, Qatar, the Taliban seized more territory. They overran the cities of Herat in the west and Kandahar in the south. In Washington, the Pentagon revealed preparations to send 3,000 troops to Kabul airport to supervise the evacuation of hundreds of U.S. Embassy personnel.

The Taliban's lightning-quick takeover of Afghanistan has astounded security and diplomatic experts all around the world. Nations quickly withdrew their ambassadors and citizens days after Kabul fell, leaving two decades of effort and investments.

However, despite the Taliban's resurgence against the Afghan Government, the organization is still seeking international recognition. In this way, the U.S. and other major countries are able to retain influence over the Taliban by insisting that any future government in Afghanistan adhere to democratic rule and fundamental human rights.

"I believe that the statements that their forces will disintegrate and the Talibs will take over in short order are mistaken," Khalilzad told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Taliban forces with their armoured vehicles block the road near the presidential place in Kabul, Afghanistan on September 2, 2021.

The Taliban demanded a firm timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. soldiers. The United States desired a ceasefire and a peace process. Trump has made no secret of his desire to withdraw troops unilaterally, whether or not there is a peace agreement in place, putting pressure on Khalilzad to act swiftly. According to a senior administration insider, the US-Taliban deal is "tough" and severely limits the Biden government's options.

Many Afghans struggled to feed their families due to a terrible drought even before the Taliban insurgents took power, and humanitarian groups warn that millions may now risk famine as the nation becomes further isolated and the economy collapses. "We have witnessed the crisis accelerate and amplify with the inevitable economic catastrophe that is headed this country's way," World Food Programme country director in Afghanistan Mary-Ellen McGroarty told Reuters from Kabul.

When the Taliban governed from 1996 to 2001, they imposed a radical form of sharia or Islamic law. Still, this time they have sought to show a more moderate front to the world, vowing to respect human rights and desist from retaliating against former foes.

The US, the European Union, and others have questioned such pledges, claiming that official recognition of the new administration - and the economic assistance that would follow - is conditional on the action.

 The Taliban open fire on protesters in Kabul, while the United Nations warns that essential services are on the danger of collapsing.

The Afghan government was excluded in the February 2020 Doha agreement between the US and the Taliban, which ensured that the US would prioritise military departure above reaching a political solution that preserved some of the social, political, and humanitarian achievements gained since 2001.

In the latest meeting, it was discussed that democracy is a principle of peaceful resolution, and the rotation of political power helps reflect the choices made in a democratic system. This ensures protecting the human rights of everyone, including women and minorities; the Taliban have highly neglected these rights. There is also a call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to stop the bloodshed as violence is no path to a harmonious Afghanistan. Women in Afghanistan will be allowed to study in female-only classrooms. The subjects they take will be reviewed; they would also have to wear a hijab when attending classes, as per the new policy introduced by the Taliban.

On the same day that the United States and the rest of the world commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 11 September attacks, the Taliban flag flew over the Afghan presidential palace. The Taliban flag was hoisted and could be seen fluttering over Kabul's presidential palace on Saturday. The terrorist organization also spray-painted its white background flag on the U.S. Embassy's wall.

According to individuals acquainted with the situation, Afghanistan's central bank has instructed banks to only pay out remittances in local currency, the latest step to save limited U.S. dollars. Over the years, hard currency remittances have been a significant source of foreign funding for Afghanistan, but dollar availability has dried up with the Taliban's takeover of the nation.

After detecting a small measles epidemic among Afghans arriving in the United States, the U.S. has suspended all US-bound flights of Afghan evacuees from two key bases overseas, a snag that American officials have warned will have a severe impact on an already tricky US-run evacuation. The U.N. refugee agency's director said that the UNHCR would work with the Taliban to help millions of Afghans who have been displaced. The U.N.'s high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, also stated that his office had not seen vast numbers of Afghans attempting to cross into neighboring countries but warned that this might change if the country's conditions worsen.

Officials from the Taliban have stated that they will completely implement the U.S. agreement and prohibit any organisation from utilising Afghan land as a base for operations against the U.S. and its allies. They claim their main goal is to establish an "Islamic government" and not constitute a danger to other countries. However, many experts believe the Taliban and al-Qaeda are inextricably linked, with al-Qaeda militants extensively ensconced and involved in training. The talks between the two sides continue with some substantial progress, and a number of complications lie ahead of them.