**The Ever-Changing Symbolism Of Afghanistan's Flags**

Afghanistan has had a lot of different flags—30 to be precise—over the last 102 years. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1919, the country has changed its flag at least 18 times. The recognised flag of Afghanistan is that of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which consists of three vertical stripes in black, red and green, with the national emblem in white at the centre. However, the Taliban flag, a white banner bearing the Islamic oath Shahada, has reemerged as the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The current flag of Afghanistan

This flag was adopted on 15 August 2021 following the Taliban's victory in the 2001-2021 war. It is the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan flag.

The Shahada is an Islamic oath and is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam found in the Quran. The Taliban flag differs from the banners of other jihadist groups, such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, as it has a white background with black script, as opposed to a black background with white script.

The current flag is not recognised by all. The flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a tricolour of black, red and green with the national emblem in the centre, is still used by diplomatic missions of Afghanistan, the Afghan diaspora, and republican insurgents.

The history of Afghanistan's flag

Afghanistan has had a multitude of flags throughout its history, with sources citing anywhere between 18 and 30 flag changes over the last 100 years. The country has changed its flag more often than any other nation since the start of the 20th century, with red being the main colour of almost all of them.

The first flag of Afghanistan was a solid black field, representing the Hotak dynasty. Later rulers added a white mosque to the centre, an emblem that would feature on most future flags. The details of the design changed a few times but remained largely consistent until 1928.

In 1928, King Amanullah returned from a trip to Europe and introduced a new tricolour flag of black, red, and green. The black stripe stood for all previous Afghan flags, the red symbolised the blood shed by the Afghan people in their fight for independence, and the green represented hope for the future.

Since then, Afghanistan has continued to change its flag frequently, with the country's political and societal instability reflected in the variety of flags flown. The colours and symbols used have been influenced by the nation's diverse society and range of interests. For example, the inclusion of the traditional mosque emblem and the use of the Pan-Arab colour scheme despite Afghans not being of Arab origin.

In 1978, a communist government was formed, and a red flag with a yellow seal in the corner was adopted, resembling the flag of the neighbouring Soviet Union. This was followed by several other flag changes, including the reintroduction of the black, red, and green tricolour, before the Taliban took control in 1996 and introduced a plain white banner.

The Taliban's white flag, with the Shahada written in black, was used until the Northern Alliance, with the aid of the United States, toppled the Taliban in 2001. The current flag of Afghanistan, adopted in 2004, features a horizontal tricolour of black, red, and green with a white mosque in the centre.

The Taliban flag

The Taliban, a Sunni Islamist nationalist and pro-Pashtun movement, ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until they were overthrown by US-led forces in October 2001. During their rule, the Taliban imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law, which resulted in harsh policies towards women, political opponents, and religious minorities.

In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, once again adopting their white flag with black inscription as the national flag. The previous tricolour flag of the internationally recognised Afghan government is still used by civilians in opposition to the Taliban, although its use can result in retribution from Taliban troops.

The Islamic Republic tricolour flag

The black colour on the flag represents Afghanistan's troubled history in the 19th century when the country was a protected state of the British Empire. The red symbolises the bloodshed during the fight for independence, which ended with the signing of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919. The green colour stands for hope and a prosperous Islamic future.

The national emblem at the centre of the flag features a mosque with a mihrab and minbar, a prayer mat inside, and two flags of Afghanistan on either side. Below the mosque are the Eastern Arabic numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar), the year Afghanistan gained independence from the British Empire. The central image is encircled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat, representing fertility, which is significant in Aryan culture.

The tricolour flag was designed by King Amanullah Khan after a trip to Europe in 1928. The original horizontal tricolour design was inspired by the flag of Germany during the Weimar Republic. The latest version of the flag was adopted in 2013, but similar tricolour designs have been in use throughout most of the 20th century, starting in 1928.

The symbolism of the colours and designs

The colours and designs of the Afghan flag have changed numerous times over the years, but there are some recurring themes.

The Tricolour

The tricolour design has been a feature of many Afghan flags. The colours of black, red, and green were first introduced by King Amanullah Khan in 1928, and they have featured in the majority of the country's flags since. The black stripe has been said to stand for the previous Afghanistan flags, the country's dark past, or its troubled history as a protected state in the 19th century. The red stripe represents the blood shed by the Afghan people in their fight for independence, specifically in the Third Anglo-Afghan War and the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919. The green stripe symbolises hope and prosperity for the future, or agricultural prosperity.

The Emblem

The emblem in the centre of the flag has also changed over time, but it usually includes a mosque, which first appeared in 1901, and wheat, which was first added in 1928. The emblem also often includes two miniature Afghan flags, the year 1298 in the Solar Hijri calendar (1919 in the Gregorian calendar), and the name of the nation. The mosque is a symbol of Islam, with the mihrab facing Mecca, and the wheat represents fertility, which is important in Aryan culture.

The Shahada

The Shahada, or Islamic declaration of faith, has been included on the flag since 1997. It is written in black on a white background, which is an inversion of the design of most jihadist groups' banners. The white colour symbolises "the purity of faith and government".

Other Designs

There have been some notable deviations from the tricolour design. In 1929, a red, black, and white tricolour was used, similar to the flag flown by invading Mongol forces in the 13th century. During the communist regime, a red flag with a yellow seal was used, which was similar to the flag of the Soviet Union. While the Taliban were in power, a predominantly white flag was used, with the Shahada written in black.

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