A Year After Taliban Return: What’s Changed in Afghanistan?

It’s been over a year since the Taliban returned to Afghanistan. The long journey toward peace began in September of 2020 when the United States, the Taliban, and the Afghan government signed an agreement that would effectively end almost two decades of war.

Since then, much has changed or has it? You may be wondering what progress has been made in rebuilding Afghanistan and establishing a peaceful society. Has anything improved or is it still a dangerous place? Are people living with more freedom than before or is their day-to-day life still fraught with peril?

In this article, we’ll take a look at how the past year has gone for Afghanistan after the agreement was struck. We’ll examine what changes have taken place, what challenges remain unsolved, and what we can expect from this fragile nation in the future.

Amnesty’s Recent Report on Afghanistan

One year has passed since the Taliban returned to Afghanistan, and Amnesty International has released a report detailing the human rights situation after the group’s reintegration.

The report paints an alarming picture of life in Afghanistan. It highlights an increase in violence against women, ongoing restrictions on free speech, and the presence of armed groups that have taken control of large parts of the country.

For example, women are often targeted for wearing certain clothes or not being accompanied by a male guardian. Journalists face threats and harassment if they write stories that don’t fit with the Taliban’s narrative. And armed groups have been accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings and abductions.

The Amnesty report also states that there is a lack of mechanisms to address human rights violations despite the Afghan government’s public commitments to uphold and protect them. This is likely to continue unless significant steps are taken to tackle these issues in an effective and sustainable way.

Taliban’s Ban on Girls’ Education

Just one year ago, the Taliban made a historic return to Afghanistan. You’re likely aware of their ban on girls’ education when they were in power two decades ago. Thankfully, things have improved significantly since then.

Currently, there are an estimated 100,000 female students enrolled in Afghan higher education—a huge jump from the 5,000 in 2001. Additionally, several NGOs are taking steps to bridge the gaps and increase female access to education. For instance, they’re employing community-outreach programs that help push back against cultural norms and create safe spaces for learning with gender-sensitivity training for teachers and staff.

Despite the progress that has been made over the past year, there’s still a long way to go for Afghanistan as an estimated 3.7 million children remain out-of-school due to poverty or lack of access to educational facilities.—which Equality Now sees as an issue that needs addressing quickly and effectively.

Reinstatement of Taliban’s Chief Justice

One of the more notable developments in Afghanistan a year after Taliban’s return is the reinstatement of their Chief Justice. In October 2020, the Taliban appointed him to lead the country’s Supreme Court.

Their chief justice was supported by a three-member council, which consisted of a judge, a mufti (Islamic legal scholar), and a clerk. The role of this Supreme Court was to govern cases regarding constitutional issues and those that related to national laws and regulations.

That said, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, they fired all prosecutors from the public prosecutor’s office and started appointing their own positions. Nonetheless, these changes have been partially offset by the establishment of new courts managed by independent individuals and organizations – thus helping to ensure justice is provided to all Afghans.

Increase in Production of Drugs & Arms

It’s been a year since the Taliban returned to Afghanistan and there have been some changes in the country—some bad, some good. One of the biggest changes has been an increase in production of drugs and arms.

Much of this increase can be attributed to the fact that, without the presence of foreign forces, local authorities are having difficulty controlling certain areas in Afghanistan. As a result, drug cartels have had more freedom to operate. Reports indicate that opium production has increased by 43% since last year and is now at an all-time high—there’s even evidence that cartels are using helicopters to transport their shipments in certain areas.

The same is true for weapons the Taliban return has led to an increase in illegal weapons as well, with rumors of arms dealers flooding certain regions with guns and other forms of weaponry. It’s estimated that there’s currently a stockpile of 1 million illegal firearms in the country and not only is this making parts of Afghanistan incredibly dangerous for civilians, it also provides resources for militants who are fighting against US and Afghan forces.

The Rise of the Islamic State – Khorasan (IS-K) Group

Although the Taliban agreement marked the official end of the war in Afghanistan, the country is still fraught with violence. In particular, the past year has seen an increase in attacks from a terrorist organization called Islamic State – Khorasan (IS-K).

The Islamic State – Khorasan (IS-K) group is a branch of ISIS that has been operating in Afghanistan since 2015 and is particularly active in Nangarhar Province. According to data from monitoring groups, IS-K has carried out more than 1,000 operations and is responsible for civilian deaths throughout the region.

Furthermore, researchers have identified a new pattern in the group’s attacks—they are shifting away from traditional guerrilla tactics to assaults on highly visible targets and suicide bombings that inflict mass casualty levels. This type of violence is deeply concerning as it could potentially lead to more insecurity in Afghanistan, destabilizing any progress that has been made since the Taliban returned.

The War on Terrorism: An Unending Struggle

It’s been a year since the Taliban returned to Afghanistan, and there is still a long way to go before the war on terrorism is won. The Taliban continue to cause havoc throughout the region, and the Afghan government is in a constant battle to maintain some sort of control.

The US-led coalition has been fighting in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, and while significant progress has been made in various parts of the country, terrorism still remains a major threat. The Taliban are still engaged in insurgency activities such as bombings, kidnappings and racketeering, often taking advantage of vulnerable communities in an effort to gain power.

The Afghan government has implemented various initiatives to counter attacks from the Taliban and other terrorist organizations, such as:

• Training and equipping Afghan security forces
• Establishing Community Defense Forces
• Strengthening economic development efforts
• Providing support for political reconciliation processes

Unfortunately, these efforts have not been enough to completely quell the insurgency. The war on terrorism is an unending struggle that will take years before it is won. However, with continued international support and commitment from all sides, there is hope that one day peace will prevail in Afghanistan.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that a year after the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan, the country is not yet entirely recovered. While there has been progress on some fronts, such as girls’ education, the prevalence of human rights abuses continues to remain high and the production of drugs is higher than ever. The IS-K group continues to threaten the region, and terrorism is still rampant; thus, it is clear that much more must be done in order to bring real and lasting peace to Afghanistan.