Bunking Alone Or With A Buddy: Living Arrangements In Afghanistan's Military

Micah Johnson, who was kicked out of the US Army for stealing women's underwear, had a bunkmate during his deployment in Afghanistan. The bunkmate later posted on Facebook about Johnson's behaviour, describing him as a pervert.

The current state of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in the heart of south-central Asia, with a population of around 39 million people. The country has been plagued by decades of war, and currently faces a dire humanitarian crisis.

Since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021, the Afghan economy has collapsed, with no cash to pay salaries or buy food. Western aid has been suspended, and millions of Afghans face acute malnutrition and starvation. The Taliban lack the capacity to manage these monumental challenges, and there is no clear alternative to their rule.

The Taliban has imposed numerous rules and policies that violate the fundamental rights of women and girls, including freedom of movement, the right to work, and access to education and healthcare. They have also carried out arbitrary detentions, torture, and summary executions of former security officers and perceived enemies.

The country's humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by a deepening economic crisis, with massive cut-offs in donor assistance, a liquidity crisis, spiking prices for essential goods, and restrictions on the banking sector. As a result, over 90% of the population remains food insecure, and millions of children face acute malnutrition.

The Taliban has also failed to provide security for at-risk populations, with the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) carrying out numerous attacks on schools and mosques, mostly targeting ethnic Hazara Shia Muslims.

Afghanistan's neighbors include Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, Tajikistan to the northeast, and China to the far northeast. The country is predominantly mountainous, with plains in the north and southwest, and is home to various ethnic groups such as Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks.

The Taliban's impact on women's rights

After the Taliban's ouster in 2001, women in Afghanistan made significant progress in various sectors. The post-Taliban constitution of 2004 granted women various rights, and social and economic growth improved their socio-economic conditions. Enrollment rates for girls in primary and secondary education increased, and women's access to healthcare and political participation also expanded. However, this progress was unevenly distributed, benefiting mostly urban women from middle and upper-class families. Rural women continued to face challenges and restrictions, often fully dependent on male relatives for permission to access education, employment, and healthcare.

With the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, women's rights and freedoms once again deteriorated. The Taliban reimposed restrictions on education, employment, and mobility for women and girls. They banned girls from attending secondary school and prevented women from working in most sectors outside of health and education. Women were barred from travelling without a close male relative and were ordered to wear face coverings in public. The Taliban also shut down beauty salons and prohibited women from entering parks, gyms, and public baths.

The treatment of women by the Taliban has been characterised as “gender apartheid” by the United Nations, and human rights organisations have documented violations that amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity. Despite some variations in the strictness of enforcement across different regions, the Taliban's policies and actions have consistently resulted in the marginalisation and oppression of women in Afghanistan.

Afghan women, particularly those in urban areas, fear losing their hard-won freedoms and rights. Women's rights activists have faced resistance and exclusion from both the Afghan government and the Taliban during peace negotiations. Despite some Taliban commanders permitting primary education for girls, the group's leadership continues to oppose gender equality and block women from exercising their basic rights. The absence of women on the Taliban's negotiating team further underscores their marginalisation of women in political and social life.

The US Embassy's suspension of operations

The US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, suspended operations on August 31, 2021. The US government withdrew its personnel from the country, but it continues to assist US citizens and their families in Afghanistan. The embassy will provide information via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Embassy web page, Travel.State.Gov, and Facebook and Twitter.

US citizens in Afghanistan in need of routine consular services can contact any US embassy or consulate outside of Afghanistan for assistance. The Department of State has stated that its highest priority is the safety and security of US citizens overseas.

US citizens still in Afghanistan should:

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates and be located in an emergency.
• Review their personal security plans.
• Be aware of their surroundings and local security developments at all times.
• Notify a trusted person of their travel and movement plans.
• Make contingency plans to leave when it is safe to do so, without relying on US government assistance.
• Monitor local media.

US citizens in Afghanistan who are seeking assistance should contact the Consular Affairs Afghanistan Call Center at 833-741-2777 or 606-260-4379, or email [email protected].

The safety risks for US citizens

The Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, took control of Afghanistan in 2021 and announced an "interim government" based in the capital, Kabul. The Taliban has imposed strict restrictions on women and girls, limiting their access to education, employment, and public life. They have also cracked down on freedom of expression, with journalists and activists facing detention, harassment, and violence for expressing views critical of the Taliban.

US citizens are specifically targeted by multiple terrorist groups and kidnapping syndicates in Afghanistan. These groups actively target foreign nationals, particularly journalists, aid workers, teachers, medical professionals, and individuals associated with international organizations. The Taliban has also been known to detain foreign nationals, including aid and humanitarian workers, without due process, and reasons for detention are often unclear.

In addition to the security risks, Afghanistan faces a deteriorating humanitarian crisis, with malnutrition and poverty on the rise. The healthcare system is fragile and dependent on international aid, and basic infrastructure services such as electricity and telephones are minimal, even in urban areas.

The US Embassy in Kabul has suspended operations, and the US government's ability to provide emergency consular services to US citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited. US citizens in Afghanistan are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible and are advised to contact any US embassy or consulate outside of Afghanistan for assistance.

Given the extremely dangerous security situation and the high threat of terrorism, kidnapping, and wrongful detention, US citizens should avoid all travel to Afghanistan. Those who choose to disregard the travel advisory and travel to Afghanistan are advised to take stringent security precautions, including enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and reviewing their personal security plans.

The economic and humanitarian crisis

Afghanistan's economic and humanitarian crisis has been deemed the world's largest in 2023, with 28 million people depending on aid to survive. The crisis has been fuelled by climate change, an economic downturn, and the Taliban's restrictions on women and girls' access to education and work.

Economic Crisis

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the country's economy has been in a steep decline. The International Monetary Fund has estimated that the Afghan economy could contract by up to 30%. The World Bank reports that 48% of Afghanistan’s population lives in poverty, and it is estimated that more Afghans are living in poverty now than before the takeover.

The economic crisis has multiple causes. Firstly, international assistance was paused and cut back. Afghanistan's economy was 75% dependent on foreign aid before the Taliban takeover, and much of this assistance was cut off when the Taliban assumed power. The US froze billions of dollars in Afghan central bank reserves, and the country's central bank was isolated from the international banking system.

Secondly, there has been a decline in job opportunities and wages. As of May 2023, Afghans have been able to withdraw more of their savings since the central bank eased withdrawal limits, but job opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers remain limited.

Thirdly, there has been a shortage of cash in the economy. The US froze $9 billion in assets belonging to the central bank, preventing the bank from meeting withdrawal demands. This has led to a massive liquidity crisis and nationwide shortages of banknotes in both US dollars and Afghan currency.

Humanitarian Crisis

The economic crisis has had severe humanitarian consequences. Millions of Afghans are struggling to survive, with many facing starvation and acute malnutrition. The health care system is collapsing, and there are widespread shortages of food.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that nearly 20 million people – half the population – are suffering from either crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. Acute malnutrition is entrenched across the country, and tens of thousands of children are being admitted for emergency medical treatment each month. The WFP has also noted a 10% drop in household income levels, as well as rising food costs.

The crisis has been particularly severe for women and girls, who face greater obstacles in obtaining food, health care, and financial resources. Taliban policies have barred women from most paid jobs, and nearly 100% of female-headed households do not have enough to eat. The Taliban have also closed most girls' secondary schools and imposed strict restrictions on women's dress, travel, and employment.

The UN and humanitarian organizations have warned that the humanitarian crisis could lead to more deaths than twenty years of war if left unaddressed. They have appealed for billions of dollars in aid to address the crisis, but there has been a significant shortfall in funding.

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