On August 31, evacuations from Afghanistan officially came to an end. On the second day without U.S. troops, the Taliban moved to form a new Islamic government. With the Taliban’s rule restored, after being brought down by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, they must switch to governance after 2 decades as insurgents. This group now has the responsibility of running a large country that has been devastated by over 40 years of war.

Much of Afghanistan’s population lives in poverty and is suffering from a drought and the Covid-19 pandemic. This country that was previously dependent on foreign aid has been cut off by international lenders, sending it into an economic freefall. Shortages of food and fuel have also been reported, causing unreliable electricity and crisis levels of food insecurity.

The Afghans that were left behind are in danger. On August 24th there was a terrorist attack at the Kabul airport that killed at least 13 and left 18 injured, Afghans were also crushed to death while trying to enter the airport. Those who took risks to help the U.S. now fear repercussions from the Taliban and have been left without a way to secure their safety. These people do not trust the Taliban’s promise to let those with visas leave once the airport has been reopened and have gone into hiding. This crisis is extremely dangerous for Afghan women too. Not only are they afraid to go out, but they fear that the work regarding women’s rights, education, and political participation will be undone.

The Taliban are now trying to secure international aid with the U.S. as well as diplomatic recognition. As the former insurgents and those left in Afghanistan move into this new phase, it’s hard to be sure of what’s coming next.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-government-leader.html , https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/women-girls-afghanistan-are-petrified-what-women-s-rights-organizations-ncna1276988 , https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/03/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-airport-evacuation-refugees-asylum.html#:~:text=How%20to%20Help-,Afghans%20With%20Ties%20to%20U.S.%20Who%20Could,Out%20Now%20Live%20in%20Fear&text=%E2%80%9CI’m%20not%20feeling%20safe,forgiving%20everybody%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said. , https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-airport-deaths-8254e2e79a1a88dd1bd8802b6b9dedac , https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/opinion/afghanistan-democrats-midterms.html , https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/26/world/afghanistan-taliban-biden-news