Afghanistan: A Battle-Scarred Nation At War With Its Women | Never-Ending Wars

A landlocked country in South Asia, Afghanistan was once known for its rich cultural history and cultural diversity. However, over the past four decades, Afghanistan has been embroiled in a protracted conflict, fuelled as much by external interventions as the country’s own internal divisions. The toll of this struggle for power has been millions of lives, a shattered economy, and a displaced population.

Central To “The Great Game”

Afghanistan’s strategic location as the door to South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East has made it a prize for empires throughout history. For the Persian Empire, it was the seat of power from wherein they ruled Asia and later Afghanistan became an important stop along the Silk Road. 

In the 19th century, it became the epicentre of the "Great Game" between the British and Russian empires. Afghanistan was the perfect buffer state between British colonies and Russia. After a series of Anglo-Afghan wars, Afghanistan gained its independence in 1919.

The mid-20th century was a stable period for the region, but when the monarchy was overthrown in 1973, and a communist coup in 1978 led to the Soviet invasion in 1979, modern Afghanistan's era of war began anew.

Cold War And Conflict

The Cold War was a huge reason behind Afghanistan’s troubles. In the 1970s, the Soviet Union identified the country’s strategic location, attracting the attention of both global superpowers—USSR and the US. In 1979, on the pretext of supporting its communist allies, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The US retaliated by recruiting, training and arming young men also known as mujahideen fighters. This decade-long conflict, spurred on by the global superpowers, left a ravaged country that rapidly descended into chaos when the Soviets withdrew in 1989. The mujahideen fighters morphed into the Taliban, an extremist organisation that grew to power in the 1990s. 

The Taliban’s rule between 1996 to 2001 was known for its oppressive treatment of women and harsh interpretation of Islamic law. 

The extremist group’s strict interpretation of Islamic law included suppression of women’s rights, and the destruction of cultural heritage, such as the 2001 destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan.

During this time, Afghanistan was home to al-Qaeda and its founder, Osama bin Laden. A wealthy Saudi national, Bin Laden had been involved with the Afghan extremists against the Soviets and reportedly used Afghanistan as a base to launch global terror operations.

In 1998, al-Qaeda bombed of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing over 200 people. The group’s attack on the New York Twin Towers and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, is considered the deadliest terrorist attack in US history, killing 3,000 people.

The Taliban’s refusal to hand over Bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks prompted the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) quickly toppled the Taliban regime. Bin Laden was killed in May 2011 by a US Navy SEAL operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan

Afghanistan At The Heart Of The War on Terror? 

The US had aimed to dismantle and oust the Taliban. The early years of the invasion were marked by the establishment of a democratically elected government and the empowerment of women in urban areas. However, the Taliban remained, driven from power but not defeated. The group used their knowledge of Afghanistan’s terrain, the country’s porous borders with Pakistan, and widespread disillusionment with the Kabul government to launch an insurgency. The war was the longest one in US history, with even NATO forces locked in a stalemate. Civilian casualties mounted, and corruption within the Afghan government, fuelled by international aid, further undermined stability.

The 2021 Taliban Resurgence

The invasion of Afghanistan by the US and NATO was one of its longest conflicts, lasting nearly two decades. In 2021, the U.S. announced a withdrawal from Afghanistan. The decision was initially welcomed by war-weary citizens but triggered a rapid offensive from the Taliban, who went on capturing city after city with minimal resistance from Afghan forces. By August, the Taliban had taken Kabul.

Political analysts have said the speed of the Taliban’s advance laid bare the fragility of the US-backed Afghan government. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country almost immediately after the withdrawal. Reports showed that appointed generals gave up their districts to the Taliban with nary a fight. The scenes at Kabul airport, where desperate Afghans clung to planes in a bid to escape, are etched in memory.

During its first months in power, Taliban sought to project a more moderate image to the international community. However, its banning of women and girls from schools and workplaces, and dismantling the free press tell a different story.

The Taliban’s takeover has created one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises. Afghanistan’s infrastructure has been destroyed by years of conflict. The economy was heavily reliant on foreign aid and collapsed after the Taliban’s takeover, as international donors froze funds and imposed sanctions. Nearly half of the population is facing acute hunger. Afghan women’s education and employment opportunities have been stripped away. Reports suggest that Afghanistan’s healthcare system is collapsing. Hospitals are underfunded and understaffed, struggling to cope with a surge in malnutrition and disease outbreaks.

The international community’s response to the Taliban’s return has been fractured. While some countries, such as China and Russia, have engaged with the Taliban regime, others remain cautious. The lack of a unified approach has left Afghanistan isolated, its people paying the price for the world’s indecision.