Over the past few weeks, there have been lots of news articles about a country in central Asia called Afghanistan, and a group called the Taliban. Everything you hear can be very confusing and maybe even scary if you don't understand what's happening. Many of the articles don't explain in a way which is understandable or makes sense, however it's important for us to know what's occurring in the world around us.
For decades, Afghanistan has been caught up in war; it began on the 7th October 2001. The war in Afghanistan is an ongoing war following the United States invasion of Afghanistan when the United States and its allies successfully drove the Taliban from power in order to deny Al-Qaeda a safe base of operations in Afghanistan. The Taliban is an extreme Islamic group, which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001; they say they are followers of Islam, but their beliefs are much more extreme than those of the majority of Muslims. They are fighting because they want their leaders to be in charge of Afghanistan again, and they want to enforce their own strict version of Sharia, or Islamic law. When the Taliban leaders were in control, they banned many things, including education for girls, television, music and cinemas. Men were made to grow beards and women had to wear burkas, which is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body. The Taliban's strict laws and extreme punishments made them unpopular with other countries. People living under Taliban control could be punished very harshly for breaking their rules; they have been accused of various human rights and cultural abuses.
So why did the war start? In September 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that happened in New York and Washington in America. The United States believed that a group called Al-Qaeda, and its leader Osama Bin Laden, were responsible for the attacks. Bin Laden was thought to be hiding in Afghanistan, under the protection of the Taliban. There was a lot of international pressure on the Afghan leaders to hand over Osama Bin Laden. When the Taliban didn't do this, the United States decided they would use their armed forces - the US militarily quickly removed the Taliban from power and promised to support democracy in the country (a new Afghan government was put in place). The US was being supported by Nato (an international organisation which brings together the armies of various countries) and other countries that agreed with them, including the UK. They tried to help the new government build a stable nation. The Taliban were no longer in control but regrouped in different parts of the country and neighbouring states. They continued to launch attacks against the international forces who remained in Afghanistan. Many people believed that future peace in Afghanistan could only come if the government negotiated with the Taliban. In early 2019, the US and the Taliban began peace talks aimed at finding a solution to the 17-year conflict in Afghanistan. Eventually the US agreed to withdraw its troops and leave power to the new Afghan government.
So why are we hearing more about it recently? Recently, US president Joe Biden stated he is withdrawing all United States troops from Afghanistan by the 11th September, which is exactly 2 decades since the 9/11 attacks. However, this deal did not stop the Taliban. As the US is preparing to leave, the group is advancing rapidly across the country gaining control and power. Many officials in Afghanistan are worried that the government won't be able to resist the Taliban without international support. Over the past week, they are rapidly gaining power in the country, with its capital Kabul being seen as the last key to taking full power.
The US has begun evacuating members of staff from its embassy in Kabul, sending 5,000 troops to help with the operation. About 600 British troops are being deployed to help the departure of UK nationals and others who are trapped there. The acting interior minister for the Afghan government has said a peaceful transfer of power to a transitional government is being prepared. The Taliban has ordered its fighters to refrain from violence and allow safe passage for anyone wanting to leave, as many people try to flee the city. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to recall Parliament from its summer break to discuss the crisis. As the Taliban regain control of the country after 20 years, many people will worry what this means for the future of Afghanistan and the people living there.
What do you think about what's happening? Should international powers such as the UK and US help Afghanistan in the war now or should we stay out of it? Do you find it worrying, not knowing what could happen or if this will ever impact our daily lives? No matter what happens, we should be able to trust that those in power decide what's right for us and everybody, and we should always try to see a bright and peaceful future ahead even though current events look bleak.
By Annabel Haggar
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