In this article, I’m going to provide you a brief history of Afghanistan, the Taliban, and how we have come to this moment in time. Afghanistan has been the subject of many political schemes and empires, so bear with me as the history of Afghanistan is relative to the situation that is happening as we speak.
1953: Prime Minister Mohammed Daoud Khan was a pro-Soviet figure and he looked to the communist nation for military assistance and economic support. Through doing this, he also announced social reforms that saw women attend university and enter the workforce, giving them a stronger public presence in the coming years
1956-1957: The Soviet nation and Afghanistan became close allies and Khan’s reforms came to fruition.
1975-1977: Khan overthrew the last King of Afghanistan and proposed a constitution that granted women rights, and moved towards modernising the largely communist states.
1965-1978: During this time, an Afghan Communist Party secretly formed with the intention to abandon Soviet influence and declare their policies to be based on Islamic principles. In 1978, the rise of this communist group saw Khan killed in a coup and the communist party exercised their initial intention once they succeeded Khan’s position.
June 1978: The guerilla movement that was named the Mujahideen was established to battle the soviet-backed government. Whilst this was happening, a conflict was occurring within the government as a result of the power struggle between communist leaders.
At this stage, it is important to recognise the world affairs that were concurrently occurring. The U.S. were occupied in a civil war with Russia. The Soviets supported this newfound Afghan government and to put it simply, the Americans weren’t happy with that notion.
It must be recognised that Afghanistan is strategically landlocked, sharing borders with many other countries. Possessing power in Afghanistan enables significant influence over the surrounding land. In addition to this, Afghanistan is a country rich with minerals, gems, and spices. We produce the world’s most expensive spice, saffron, and there is an abundance of valuable resources within the country.
1979: This was the year things took a turn for the worse. The USSR invaded Afghanistan to aid the faltering communist regime.
1980-1986: The Mujahideen rebels united against the Soviet invaders and USSR-backed Afghan government. They garnered control over rural areas while the Soviets held control over the urban areas. While this was occurring, the United States, Britain, and China provided them with arms. Please refer to the U.S.’s dispute against Russia if you are confused as to why this group was being funded. Essentially, the Soviets conflicted with Afghan freedom fighters that were conveniently funded by the U.S.
1988: Tensions increased and millions of Afghans fled to neighbouring countries, seeking refuge from war. My parents and siblings were among them.
1989: The Soviets left Afghanistan following the signing of the Geneva peace accords that promised Afghan independence. The Mujahideen continued their resistance.
In the space between 1989 and 2001, a group called the Taliban were formed. As the Soviets left the country, Afghanistan held no security and the Mujahideen were left with excessive weaponry.
Understanding the foundations of the Taliban is critical. The group was formed by students and their professors. In Farsi, a native language of Afghanistan, Talib translates to ‘student’. Their initial intention was to take a stand against the Mujahideen. They promised safety to the cities they won control over. However, their good intentions were clouded by the power and authority they attained. The Taliban evolved and imposed many restrictions that revoked women’s liberty within the country. After killing the last communist president, they began to impose their extremely strict interpretation of Islamic law.
2001: America invaded Afghanistan under the assumption that Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda hid in Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist attack.
The Taliban were weakened by a bombing campaign that the U.S. and its allies conducted in Afghanistan. The U.S. pumped billions of dollars into Afghanistan, which the people have not seen a single dollar of.
2006: The Taliban regrouped.
2001-2021: The U.S. remained in Afghanistan to dismantle the Taliban and prevent the country from becoming a terrorist base that could threaten America.
April 2021: Biden announced the withdrawal of American Troops
August 15 2021: The Taliban reached Kabul after seizing control of neighbouring cities. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country “to prevent bloodshed”
The Taliban take over the Presidential Palace.
Then you have the Afghan people. They've been caught between the crossfires of all these groups and their political agendas. The innocent people who have experienced more than 20 years of turmoil, death, and constant war. The people of Afghanistan have been victims of a war for over 40 years. Children have been denied the right to a safe childhood and women have been denied the right to an education or to sports. The country has not had an ally fight for the interests of the Afghan people.
To learn about how to help the people of Afghanistan in this time of crisis, follow this link.
