After twenty years of “war on terror” the Taliban took power in Afghanistan on August 15th, 2021, following a hasty U.S. troop withdrawal and a chaotic evacuation. This raises multiple questions and concerns. Retrospectively, it questions the reasonableness and benefit of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, as well as the political peace process that culminated in the Doha agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban in February 2020. In terms of future developments, it also raises concerns about the maintenance of socio-cultural gains as well as human rights in general – and women’s rights in particular.
Author: Fereschta Sahrai
Fereschta Sahrai is Doctoral Candidate at the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University for Peace in Costa Rica researching peace processes in Afghanistan. Her focal points are multi-level approaches to conflict transformation and conflict-sensitive peacebuilding.
