The Ever-Present Conflict In Afghanistan: A Complex Web Of Historical, Political, And Social Factors

Conflict in Afghanistan has been ongoing for over 40 years, and the country has been in a state of crisis for five decades. The conflict has been driven by various factors, including the rise of the Taliban, the US-led invasion, and the country's history of political instability.

The Taliban, a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist movement, controlled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Their harsh interpretation of Islamic law led to widespread human rights abuses, particularly against women and girls, as well as ethnic and religious minorities. The Taliban's refusal to hand over terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks led to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. While the invasion successfully ousted the Taliban regime, it sparked an insurgency that resulted in continued violence and civilian casualties.

The conflict in Afghanistan has also been influenced by the country's history of political instability, dating back to the 1970s. The Soviet invasion in 1979, the subsequent Afghan Civil War, and the rise of various armed factions have all contributed to the ongoing conflict.

The consequences of the conflict have been devastating for Afghans, with high civilian casualties, human rights abuses, and a deteriorating humanitarian crisis. The country also faces economic instability, food insecurity, and the rollback of rights and freedoms, particularly for women and girls.

The Taliban's treatment of women and girls

Upon taking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban initially promised that women would be allowed to exercise their rights within Sharia law, including the right to work and study. However, they have since banned girls from attending school past the sixth grade and prohibited women from working in most sectors. Women are also banned from travelling without a male chaperone and are required to cover their faces in public.

The Taliban have also barred women from working in the justice system, in government offices, and for international organizations or NGOs. They have further restricted access to healthcare, with reports of women and girls dying from curable ailments as they are not allowed to be treated by male doctors, and female doctors are prohibited from working.

The Taliban's edicts have had a devastating impact on the lives of Afghan women and girls, with reports of increased domestic violence, mental health issues, and feelings of insecurity. Women have reported acute feelings of insecurity due to the Taliban's dismantling of the formal police force and the Ministry of Women's Affairs. They have also expressed fear of violence and arbitrary arrests by the Taliban.

The Taliban's restrictions on women's dress and conduct affect every aspect of their lives, including their career options. Women are only allowed to become teachers or nurses and are required to wear a burqa and a long dress. They are not allowed to wear sandals or high heels and are prohibited from wearing makeup.

The Taliban's human rights violations

Restrictions on Women and Girls' Rights

The Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan, which have been characterised as a form of gender persecution and gender apartheid. These restrictions include:

• Barring women and girls from receiving an education beyond primary school.
• Prohibiting women from working outside the home, including in most government jobs and at NGOs.
• Banning women from appearing in public or travelling without a male chaperone.
• Forcibly closing beauty salons and other women-owned businesses.
• Banning women from participating in sports and visiting public parks.
• Imposing "puberty checks" on girls as young as 10 and expelling those who appeared to have reached puberty from school.
• Eliminating the Ministry for Women's Affairs and replacing it with the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which enforces strict rules on women's behaviour and dress.

Suppression of Freedom of Expression and Media

The Taliban have severely restricted freedom of expression and media in Afghanistan. They have:

• Used violence and intimidation against journalists and critics of their rule.
• Shut down hundreds of media outlets and forced self-censorship on those remaining.
• Detained, tortured, and killed journalists.
• Banned the broadcasting of international news programs and restricted internet access.
• Censored and threatened social media users who express criticism of the Taliban.

Other Civil Liberties and Human Rights Violations

In addition to the above, the Taliban have committed other human rights violations, including:

• Carrying out arbitrary detentions, torture, and summary executions of former security officers, critics, and perceived enemies.
• Forcibly evicting people from their homes, particularly those from ethnic and religious minority groups.
• Enforcing public executions and corporal punishment, such as stoning and flogging.
• Restricting freedom of religion and marginalising religious minorities.
• Failing to protect LGBTQI+ individuals, who face violence, discrimination, and abuse.
• Imposing harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, including separating children from adults.
• Committing abuses against detainees, including incommunicado detentions and torture.
• Restricting freedom of assembly and association, including banning protests without prior approval.
• Failing to uphold judicial independence and enforcing their interpretation of Sharia law.

The Taliban's treatment of ethnic groups

The Taliban is a predominantly Pashtun, Islamic fundamentalist group that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and returned to power in 2021. The Taliban's treatment of ethnic groups has been harsh and has involved massacres, discrimination, and denial of food and other human rights.

The Taliban's ideology combines elements of Pashtun nationalism with Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism. Pashtuns are the predominant ethnic group in Afghanistan, and the Taliban's rule has been characterised by Pashtun hegemony. The Taliban's treatment of non-Pashtun ethnic groups, such as the Tajik, Uzbek, and Hazara, has been particularly brutal. In the 1990s, the Taliban fought fierce battles to wrest control of northern Afghanistan from these ethnic groups, often committing violent atrocities and alienating the local population.

The Taliban's interpretation of Sharia law has resulted in the near-total exclusion of women from public life and the implementation of harsh criminal punishments. The Taliban's policies have been particularly oppressive towards Shiite Hazaras, Afghanistan's most persecuted religious and ethnic minority. In 1998, the Taliban systematically massacred thousands of Shiite Hazaras in Mazar-e-Sharif, and Hazaras have continued to face persecution and violence at the hands of the Taliban. In 2018, the Taliban launched coordinated attacks in Hazara-dominated areas, killing and displacing a large number of civilians.

In recent years, the Taliban has attempted to improve its image and gain legitimacy by recruiting members from other ethnic groups, such as Tajiks, Turkmen, and Uzbeks. The Taliban has also tried to dissociate itself from its tainted past of human rights abuses against the Hazara minority. However, these efforts have been largely unsuccessful, and the Taliban's treatment of ethnic groups remains a significant concern.

The Taliban's treatment of religious minorities

The Hazara, a predominantly Shia Muslim ethnic group, have faced discrimination and abuse by successive Afghan governments for over a century. During the 1990s, Taliban forces targeted the Shia for mass killings and other serious abuses. Since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Islamic State affiliate has claimed responsibility for 13 attacks against Hazaras, killing and injuring at least 700 people. The Taliban have been accused of failing to protect these communities from attacks and providing necessary assistance to victims and their families.

Other religious minority groups in Afghanistan, including Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Baha'is, constitute less than 0.3% of the population. They have also faced persecution and discrimination under the Taliban. There have been reports of door-to-door" visits by the Taliban to search for Christians, and members of these religious minority groups have reported fear of persecution and societal discrimination, with many choosing to leave the country.

The Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, has rejected these accusations, claiming that "the religious and civil rights of all minorities in Afghanistan are protected" and that all religious minorities are free to practice their religion. However, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has alleged that the Taliban's ideologies are infringing on the basic rights of women and girls, and that religious minorities are under threat from the group.

The Taliban's relationship with Pakistan

Pakistan's objectives in supporting the Taliban are multifaceted. Firstly, Pakistan seeks to counter the influence of its arch-rival, India, in Afghanistan. By supporting the Taliban, Pakistan aims to create a sphere of influence and gain "strategic depth" against India. Pakistan accuses India of using separatist groups operating from Afghanistan to stir dissent within Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistan aims to undermine resurgent Pashtun nationalism by supporting the Taliban, who are ethnically Pashtun but not ethnic nationalists.

Furthermore, Pakistan's military leaders view the Taliban as a proxy force that can be leveraged for influence in Afghanistan. They prefer a Taliban-led government in Kabul that would be friendly to Pakistan and deny India a foothold in the region. Pakistan's support for the Taliban also extends to providing sanctuary for Taliban fighters and their families, medical treatment for wounded fighters, and assistance with fundraising and diplomacy.

The relationship between the two groups is not without its complexities and tensions. The Taliban's virulent anti-Shiite stance has the potential to increase sectarian tensions within Pakistan, which has a significant Shiite population. Additionally, the Taliban's relationship with the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is murky. While there are connections between individuals in both groups, the Afghan Taliban's relationship with the TTP could lead to a serious blowback for Pakistan, as the TTP has been at war with the Pakistani army for years.

Despite these complexities, the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan is seen as a triumph for Pakistan and the ISI. However, the future of this relationship remains uncertain, and there are potential risks and challenges that could complicate matters for both parties.

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