South East Asia

The situation in Afghanistan—and with it the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship—is likely to worsen in the short term. The prospect of a prolonged civil war or full Taliban takeover now looms large as hopes of a negotiated settlement recede. Whatever the outcome, the countries’ bilateral relationship will continue to be shaped by tensions that have characterized it for more than a century. This report examines these sources of tension and identifies potential openings for engagement that could, over time, become sources of stability and growth.

No matter where the conflict goes from here, Afghans will bear enormous costs as stability looks to be a distant prospect.

The Afghan government has had its most difficult week fighting the Taliban since the insurgency began. As of this writing, 12 provincial capitals have fallen since last Friday, marking the first time the Taliban have controlled a city since they were ousted in 2001. By some estimates the Taliban control two-thirds of the country. While many experts predicted that the rapid and unconditional withdrawal of U.S. troops would increase Taliban control, few saw it happening this fast. A Taliban takeover of Kabul — once thought to be years away if at all — is now conceivable within months, or even a matter of weeks.

Introduction

As the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition troops from Afghanistan is already in its final stages as per the February 29, 2020 agreement[1] between the United States and the Afghan Taliban, signed in the Qatari capital of Doha, the Islamic State (ISIS) has begun to carry out increasingly diverse attacks via its Afghan affiliate, the Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP), in an attempt to expand its influence in the country.

On August 2, 2021, one Police constable, identified as Dilawar Khan, was killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a Police team guarding polio workers administering vaccinations near the Atal Sharif area of Kalachi Tehsil (revenue unit) in the Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The gunmen managed to escape.

L’aggravation de la situation sécuritaire est connue de tous et inquiète tout le monde. Sauf le Commissariat aux Réfugiés, écrit l’avocate Selma Benkhelifa.

Toute la presse parle de l’offensive des Talibans, ils avancent et les villes afghanes tombent une par une entre leurs mains. Ils sont aux portes de Kaboul.

Temeri privind o nouă criză a refugiaților în Europa, după ce talibanii au cucerit mai multe orașe din Afganistan

Talibanii au cucerit joi oraşul Ghazni, la 150 km sud-vest de Kabul, a zecea capitală de provincie care cade în mâinile lor în decurs de o săptămână, scrie BBC. Luptele sângeroase din țară au provocat peste o mie de morți printre civili doar în ultima lună, în vreme ce numeroși localnici s-au văzut nevoiți să își părăsească locuințele. Unii oficiali din Europa se tem deja că eventuala instalare la putere a talibanilor ar putea genera un nou val de refugiați.

Violence has surged in Afghanistan since May, with conflict in and around provincial capitals between Afghan forces and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, also known as the Taliban). The fighting is impeding access to medical care, increasing the numbers of people killed and wounded by bullets and explosions, and causing widespread displacement. In the areas where Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) works—Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, Kandahar, Kunduz, and around Herat—the consequences of the conflict have been felt acutely.

The situation in Afghanistan hinges on Afghan civilian and military leadership, the Pentagon press secretary said today during a news conference.

Taliban forces have taken at least five provincial capitals in the country and others are threatened. Press Secretary John F. Kirby said the fighting in the country “is clearly not going in the right direction.”