In The News: The Taliban Take Over Afghanistan
On Sunday, 15 August, 2021 U.S. backed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan resulting in the official and uncontested take over of the country by the Taliban - a militant group.
Many of us watched in horror yesterday (16 August 2021) via our television and smart devices as chaos erupted at the Kabul airport as people stormed the tarmac and clung to airplanes that were already taxiing for take off.
Pause for a moment and consider the level of desperation a person would have to feel that they would rather risk life and limb than be left behind.
So why are people fleeing the country?
With U.S. troops set to withdraw from the country by the end of the month, Afghans are worried about what life will look like now that Afghanistan is back under Taliban control.
Why has the Taliban take over been uncontested?
In 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a deal with the Taliban that limited U.S. military action against the militant group. And although USD 2 trillion dollars were spent to equip the Afghan military the security forces collapsed within a week.
Why you may ask?
Corruption and Profit. See below the tweet from retired U.S. Army Major Richard Ojeda.
2 trillion dollars to train and equip the Afghan military over the past 20 years. They fell in a week. It was never about real training. It was about military contractors and corporations raking in the profits. I am numb. I am sure everyone who spent years there feels the same!
— Richard N. Ojeda, II (@Ojeda4America) August 15, 2021
It’s not clear what will happen next but many in the international development community fear that this will continue to lead to a severe rollback in the basic humanitarian rights that have been afforded to women and girls.
When the Taliban was last in power (1996-2001) women could only be seen in public with a male escort and girls couldn’t attend school. Violations were met with punishments that ranged from beating to execution. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported that since 1 May 2021—when troop withdrawal plans began moving forward—women and children civilian deaths increased and made up 46% of all civilian deaths in the months of May and June.
Nearly 250,000 people have been displaced since the end of May, fleeing their homes in fear of the Taliban, 80% of those people have been women and children.
It’s a devastating time for the people of Afghanistan. It’s unclear of what kind of interventions will be able to take place under Taliban rule, so for now all we can do is watch and look for ways to support those who are already on the inside.
For More Information Read:
NPR’s What Women’s Advocacy Groups Worldwide Are Doing For Women In Afghanistan
AP’s Afghan Take Over: What We Know and What’s Next