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
Should we mine the Moon?
The recent Nasa Artemis II crewed mission to the far side of the Moon is a further step towards a long-term return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. The plan is that before the end of the decade there will be a crewed landing and the start of a Moon base. China is ... Show More
23m 57s
Apr 21
Cycling: Is it time to swap four wheels for two?
Conflict in the Middle East has led to volatility in global oil prices, pushing up fuel costs worldwide. Previous oil shocks prompted some countries to reconsider their reliance on cars, investing in alternatives such as cycling. In some places, this has become part of everyday l ... Show More
24m 38s
Apr 14
How will countries boycotting Eurovision affect the contest?
Broadcasters from The Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia are all boycotting May’s Eurovision Song Contest because Israel is participating. Sources within Israel’s broadcaster say calls for it to be banned are unjustified, and organisers of the contest insist it mus ... Show More
24m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
How Will the Taliban Rule This Time?
<p>Since the Taliban took over Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, last month, many have wondered what kind of rulers they will be.</p><p>The memory of the Taliban of the 1990s — the public executions, the whippings in the streets and the harsh rules preventing women from leaving the h ... Show More
31m 9s
Aug 2022
The Taliban Takeover, One Year Later
<p>One year ago this week, when the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, they promised to institute a modern form of Islamic government that honored women’s rights.</p><p>That promise evaporated with a sudden decision to prohibit girls from going to high school, prompting quest ... Show More
22m 55s
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
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
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
Jul 2021
When the Taliban took Kabul
Taliban fighters first took control of Afghanistan's capital city Kabul in late September 1996. They imposed their strict interpretation of Islam on Afghans, outlawing music and TV, banning the education of girls, and requiring men to grow beards. The Taliban ruled most of Afghan ... Show More
8m 59s