Taliban's Continued Reign Celebrated as They Commemorate Fourth Year Anniversary in Afghanistan
Since taking power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have faced a series of significant changes and challenges, both internally and externally.
Internal Power Dynamics
The Taliban leadership is still dominated by senior figures from their original 1990s movement, but internal factions and power struggles persist, often along ethnic and ideological lines. Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has led the Taliban since 2016, has focused on establishing an Islamic system, but his authority faces competing loyalties within the group, including among Pashtun and non-Pashtun members, and between hardliners and pragmatists.
Policies Toward Women
The Taliban have enforced restrictive policies against women, severely limiting girls’ education and women’s participation in public and professional life compared with their 1996–2001 rule. Despite slight signals of pragmatic adjustments in some regional areas, the leadership maintains a conservative, harsh stance restricting women’s rights.
Regional Relations
The Taliban strive to maintain and strengthen relations with neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, China, Russia, and Central Asian states to secure economic aid, diplomatic recognition, and security cooperation. However, these relationships are complicated by cross-border militant activities and geopolitical differences. The Taliban have also faced regional isolation due to their domestic policies and links with extremist groups.
Challenges due to Climate Change, Population Growth, and Aid Cuts
Afghanistan under the Taliban faces critical challenges, including the impacts of climate change such as prolonged droughts, water shortages, and agricultural failures that exacerbate food insecurity and economic woes. The rapid population growth places immense pressure on an already strained infrastructure and social services in a country with limited resources. Aid cuts from Western countries following the Taliban takeover have severely reduced humanitarian and developmental funding, deepening economic destabilization and impeding public service delivery.
The Taliban's relationships with other countries are transactional, based on borders, water, transit, and security. However, these relationships are complicated by cross-border militant activities and geopolitical differences. For instance, Russia recognized the Taliban as the country's official government, a move that is seen as rewarding the Taliban for suppressing women's rights and committing human rights violations.
The US terminated emergency assistance to Afghanistan due to concerns that the Taliban were benefiting from such aid. The cuts in aid coincide with the mass expulsions of Afghans from neighbouring countries, swelling the population and the ranks of the unemployed. Thousands of Afghans, including women, are losing their jobs due to nongovernmental organizations and agencies scaling back their work or shutting down.
To avoid increased competition for resources and services, Afghanistan needs to provide people with food, shelter, and economic opportunities. However, the ongoing suppression of women's rights by the Taliban, with no signs of change, raises concerns about the future of gender equality in the country.
Akhundzada's supporters emphasize his superior religious authority to issue decrees, but there is opposition to the Taliban's policies. The higher education minister equated criticism of Akhundzada with blasphemy and stated obedience to him was a divine order. Akhundzada ratified the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Law last year, which codifies many aspects of Afghan life.
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan by force and maintain control through violence. The loss of jobs, contracts, and the shrinking humanitarian footprint also equate to a loss in revenue for the Taliban. Despite the challenges, the Taliban seem determined to rule Afghanistan, but whether they want to make it a better place to live or simply to rule it remains to be seen. Thomas Ruttig, from the Afghanistan Analysts Network, suggests that the Taliban need to consider this question carefully.
- Although the Taliban's educational policies towards women are restrictive, they have shown slight signs of pragmatic adjustments in some regional areas.
- The Taliban's relations with neighbors such as Russia are transactional, often influenced by factors like borders, water, and security, but complicated by cross-border militant activities and geopolitical differences.
- The Taliban's conservative stance on women's rights in news headlines contrasts with Russian recognizing them as Afghanistan's official government.
- Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, faces critical challenges due to factors like climate change, population growth, and aid cuts, which exacerbate food insecurity and economic woes.
- To secure economic aid, diplomatic recognition, and security cooperation, the Taliban are striving to maintain and strengthen relations with countries in the east, such as China and Central Asian states.
