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Afghanistan

The history of secret education for girls in Afghanistan – and its use as a political symbol

The history of secret education for girls in Afghanistan – and its use as a political symbol: In August 2021 the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, and since then secondary education for girls in the country has been banned. However, there have been reports of clandestine girls’ schools operating despite the ban. Teenage girls are …

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How the Taliban’s more effective and ‘fairer’ tax system helped it win control of Afghanistan

How the Taliban’s more effective and ‘fairer’ tax system helped it win control of Afghanistan: When the Taliban dramatically gained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they used bombs and guns to swiftly overcome state security forces. But they also had another valuable and effective weapon at their disposal: taxes. Long before the withdrawal of …

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Afghanistan: assassination of al-Qaida chief reveals tensions at the top of the Taliban

Afghanistan: assassination of al-Qaida chief reveals tensions at the top of the Taliban: The killing of the al-Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in Kabul by a US drone strike on July 31 raises some crucial questions. It appears the ruling Taliban were aware of, and gave their blessing to, al-Zawahiri staying in one of the residential …

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SAS accused of unlawful killings in Afghanistan, just a year after the British government made it harder to prosecute such crimes

SAS accused of unlawful killings in Afghanistan, just a year after the British government made it harder to prosecute such crimes: Reuters/Alamy A BBC investigation has found evidence supporting very serious allegations against members of the SAS while they were operating in Afghanistan in 2010-11. This includes the allegation that one unit alone may have …

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COVID in Afghanistan: low vaccine coverage and a crumbling health system could trigger a humanitarian crisis

COVID in Afghanistan: low vaccine coverage and a crumbling health system could trigger a humanitarian crisis: The pandemic has had a big impact on Afghanistan. There have been 177,000 confirmed COVID cases and 7,600 deaths up to March 28 2022, though this is probably a significant under-count. Modelling by the Institute for Health Metrics and …

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The Taliban is holding girls’ education hostage in Afghanistan – the question is, why?

The Taliban is holding girls’ education hostage in Afghanistan – the question is, why?: Afghan children and teenagers have not had much to look forward to since the Taliban took power in August last year. They have endured six months of uncertainty, anxiety and fear as they waited to see what Taliban rule would bring …

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Afghanistan: Taliban plans for suicide brigade reveal changing nature of warfare in 21st century

Afghanistan: Taliban plans for suicide brigade reveal changing nature of warfare in 21st century: The Taliban recently announced it will establish a battalion of suicide attackers as part of the national army of Afghanistan. These “martyrdom brigades” will be “under the control of the ministry of defence and will be used for special operations,” according …

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Afghanistan: heroin and human trafficking are the only two sectors of the economy still thriving

Afghanistan: heroin and human trafficking are the only two sectors of the economy still thriving: Cash crop: poppy cultivation and heroin trafficking vie with people smuggling as some of the most lucrative ways of making money in Afghanistan. EPA-EFE/Ghulamullah Habibi In the frontier town of Zaranj on Afghanistan’s border with Iran, young men jostle one …

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What my 20 years in Afghanistan taught me about the Taliban – and how the west consistently underestimates them

What my 20 years in Afghanistan taught me about the Taliban – and how the west consistently underestimates them: It was April 1995, and I was preparing to travel to Afghanistan for my first volunteer post with a UK charity. I had travelled to London to meet the Afghanistan director for the non-governmental organisation (NGO) …

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