logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
23m 59s

Will the Taliban rule Afghanistan again?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

In the afternoon of Saturday 8th May in the Afghan capital of Kabul, just a few days before the end of Ramadan, students from the Syed Al-Shahda girls school were starting to leave for the day. Without any warning, a car bomb went off. Then a second explosion, followed by a third.

The Afghan Government blamed the Taliban, the hardline Islamist movement that has fought a long civil war in Afghanistan. The Taliban, although they have previously targeted the education of girls, denied it and blamed the Islamic State Group.

Things were supposed to be getting better in this war torn country.

Earlier this year President Joe Biden announced US troops were going to be removed in September. But what will happen after they’ve gone?

Produced by Rob Cave and Soila Apparicio.

(Taliban militia move towards the front line in Kabul, February 1995. Credit: Saeed Khan /Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
Can China’s polar silk road change global trade?
Conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global shipping routes including the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca. China is now turning to Russia for support in developing an alternative trade path: the Northern Sea Route. On 15 August, China sent its first ship on ... Show More
24m 25s
Sep 8
Can Africa take control of its digital future?
Just under 20 years ago Kenya pioneered the use of mobile money. Since then, other countries in Africa have carved out a share of the digital market for themselves, from gaming in Morocco to artificial intelligence in Tunisia. But the picture is not the same across the whole cont ... Show More
24m 24s
Sep 1
Should rivers have personhood?
River systems around the world are under stress from various factors ranging from pollution, to agriculture, to extractive industries. In some parts of the world there are regulations to help protect rivers, but in a lot of cases these are just preventative measures for a system ... Show More
23m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2021
Hamdullah Mohib: Can the Afghan government hold out against the Taliban?
Since the United States pulled its troops out of Afghanistan at the beginning of July, the Taliban have continued to retake vast swathes of the country. Reports have emerged that they are once again enforcing the same repressive practices of their past rule; including the closure ... Show More
23m 46s
Aug 2021
The Fall of Afghanistan
<p><i>This episode contains strong language. </i></p><p>On Sunday, the president of Afghanistan fled the country; the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital; and the American-backed government collapsed.</p><p>One outspoken critic of the Taliban — a 33-year-old Kabul reside ... Show More
23m 52s
Aug 2021
Sunday August 15: The Afghan government is on the verge of collapse
The Taliban is closing in on Kabul as U.S. personnel evacuate the embassy in Afghanistan's capital, hastily ending the two decade-long war. Meanwhile in Kabul, there are growing concerns over the safety of women and girls and those who aided U.S. officials and troops. Plus, Pre ... Show More
43m 32s
Apr 2017
What's Next for Afghanistan
<div>When I reached Ahmad Shuja in Kabul the country was still reeling from the deadliest single Taliban attack since the start of the insurgency nearly 15 years ago. Some 160 young soldiers--mostly recruits-- were massacred in a brazen assault on a base in the northern part of t ... Show More
26m 14s
Aug 2021
The Taliban’s Advance
<p>The Taliban have made big moves in the last few days in their bid to take control of Afghanistan. </p><p>This weekend, they seized several cities and suddenly claimed a lot of the north. On Monday, they took another provincial capital. </p><p>What is the Taliban’s strategy, wh ... Show More
22m 48s