The radical Islamist Taliban, who after returning to power have
29 Debates
29 Debates
The radical Islamist Taliban, who after returning to power have
A row appears to have broken out among the
The Taliban have announced that they have taken complete control of Panjshir - the last Afghan province still held by resistance fighters. Heavily armed Taliban fighters posed outside the governor's residence there, but the NRF resistance front has contradicted these claims. Meanwhile, the Taliban has appointed the first ministers of its new government. But not all commentators believe the resistance to Taliban rule is broken.
The EU's interior ministers failed to reach an agreement on binding conditions for taking in Afghan asylum seekers at their special summit last week. Despite the strong desire to reach a consensus, the EU Commission failed due to opposition from Austria, Hungary, Denmark and Slovenia, among others. Instead, Afghanistan's neighbouring countries are now to receive money for taking in refugees. Europe's press is incensed.
Nato began its mission in Afghanistan 20 years ago. Today, most experts consider the strategy of building a democratic state on the basis of military support to have
The US has concluded its mission in Afghanistan: the last troops left Kabul early on Tuesday morning. Europe's press takes stock of the
Just a few days after the
The Taliban's
At least 85 people have died and 150 have been injured in the terrorist attacks in Kabul. The IS terrorist militia, which operates independently of the Taliban in Afghanistan and advocates an even more extreme interpretation of Islam, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Europe's press looks at the impact on the evacuation operations and what the attack says about the balance of power in Afghanistan.
Women and girls will likely be among the main victims of the failed mission in Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban. The Terre des Femmes organisation has voiced fears that they will be denied the right to education, employment and self-determination. They also face the prospect of full-body veils, forced marriages and public punishment. Notwithstanding their situation some commentators argue that pity is out of place here.
Many Afghans are fleeing Taliban rule and the threat of civil war. To make matters worse, the country is suffering from a severe drought and famine. While Western countries are flying out as many of their compatriots and Afghans who worked for them as possible, the urgent questions now are how to help the
The row over which countries should take in refugees from Afghanistan is in full swing. So far the EU member states have been unable to agree on a joint approach, but there is a consensus on sending money to the country's neighbouring states to help finance the cost of them taking in fleeing Afghans - a solution that does not convince commentators.
Now that the Taliban have seized power in Afghanistan, the balance of power in Central Asia has shifted. Commentators focus on China and Russia, which, aside from Pakistan, are the only countries keeping their embassies open in Kabul. But how much responsibility Moscow and Beijing are really assuming, and what advantages this will bring them is debatable.
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Johansson warned against further destabilisation of Afghanistan at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Wednesday and said the bloc was preparing for all scenarios. According to media reports, the European Council had already discussed the situation at the beginning of July and come to a similar conclusion. Commentators criticise the EU for failing to take appropriate steps back then.
Following their
Since the withdrawal of international troops, the
Encouraged by the power vacuum left by the withdrawal of Western troops, the Taliban have already regained control of about half of Afghanistan. Several thousand people have been injured or killed in the process. Europe's press looks at who is now particularly at risk and what responsibility the West bears for their fate.
The security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated considerably since the
US President Joe Biden has postponed the final
In the US, criticism of Joe Biden is growing following the events in Kabul. Republicans, as well as a number of Democrats, are accusing him of uncoordinated action. However, the withdrawal itself has hardly been called into question, which is also reflected in opinion polls among US citizens. Will the US president's reputation be permanently damaged by the images from Kabul airport?
After 18 months of
The soldiers of an Australian elite unit are suspected of committing war crimes in Afghanistan. An investigation found that they "unlawfully killed" at least 39 civilians and prisoners between 2009 and 2013. The commander-in-chief of the Australian armed forces, General Angus Campbell, announced that the crimes would be prosecuted under criminal law. Shocked reactions from Europe's press.
On the orders of President Trump, the US will further reduce its military presence in Afghanistan from around 4,500 to 2,500 soldiers by mid-January 2021. Another fifth of the US troops stationed in Iraq are also to be pulled out of the country. This will have disastrous results for the region and put US military cooperation with Europe to the test again, commentators write.