A Taliban militant holding an RPG
Most of us have become aware from our social media profiles that Afghanistan is in danger, but many are still confused as to what exactly has happened because this war has been going on for over 20 years. That’s older than some of us are, so here is a quick summary of what is happening in Afghanistan right now.
How did it start?
Between the years 1996-2001, the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. Their grasp on the country was firm and strong as they were backed by the Pakistani military. However, after Osama Bin Laden pulled off the infamous 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the Taliban swore to protect him. This led to the creation of Operation Enduring Freedom by the US Army to capture Osama Bin Laden and combat the Taliban. Operation Enduring Freedom led to a 20 year stalemate of Taliban Supremacy in Afghanistan, until now.
How did it get this bad?
Joe Biden’s request of the withdrawal of US Military forces from Afghanistan by the symbolic date of 11th September 2021, claiming their purposes had been served and that the Taliban would not come back again. But they did, and they have come back stronger than ever. According to CNN, the Taliban has taken over 18 of the provincial Capitals of the country so far, at least 241,000 people have been forced to leave their homes and millions have been displaced. Countries such as the US, Canada, Sweden, England, have started pulling out their nationals from the country due to safety concerns.
What happens if this continues.
Most recently the Taliban have captured the second and third largest cities of the country, Kandahar and Herat. If the Taliban takes over Kabul then Afghanistan will become a hub for jihadis and extremists, thousands of people who resist their authority will be held captive, international trade in Afghanistan will be stopped. This will also lead to increasing tensions between Pakistan and other countries such as the USA, India, Russia to name a few.
The US must push back their withdrawal of their troops and focus on combating the Taliban, other countries must also show their support for Afghanistan at this difficult time to avoid an even bigger war breaking out in the future.