How the Taliban seized Afghanistan again - BBC News

Summary

The rapid collapse of Afghanistan's government and the swift takeover by the Taliban in 2021 took the U.S. and the world by surprise. After 20 years of war, a U.S.-led coalition deal and withdrawal left a power vacuum. Despite President Biden's assertion that Afghan forces could hold their own, the Taliban swiftly seized control, leading to a chaotic evacuation at Kabul airport. The international community now faces the challenge of engaging with the Taliban, who have a history of human rights abuses, as the West's influence wanes and the future of Afghanistan's democracy remains uncertain.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan after the country's president fled, leaving Western countries in a scramble to evacuate their citizens and personnel.
• 🕊️ The U.S.-led coalition removed the Taliban from power in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks, but the group never fully disappeared and continued to fight for years.
• 📜 In 2020, a deal was struck between the Taliban and the Trump administration, with the U.S. committing to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.
• 🔄 President Biden reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to this withdrawal, aiming to end America's longest war and bring troops home.
• 🚨 Despite assurances of a strong Afghan military, the Taliban's rapid advance raised questions about the real strength and capabilities of Afghan forces.
• 🗺️ The Taliban made significant territorial gains in July and August 2021, capturing key provincial capitals and eventually the capital, Kabul, with little resistance.
• 👥 The international community, including the UN, expressed concern over the Taliban's rule, particularly regarding the rights and safety of women and girls.
• 🇺🇸 President Biden maintained his stance on the withdrawal, placing responsibility on the Afghan government to unite and manage the situation internally.
• 🛫 Amid the chaos, the focus shifted to the Kabul airport, where thousands attempted to flee, leading to desperate scenes of people trying to board planes and helicopters.
• 📣 The Taliban sought to reassure the international community of their intentions to maintain security and not allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for terrorism.
• 🌍 The U.S. and other Western powers now find themselves with limited influence in Afghanistan, as the Taliban looks to engage with regional powers such as China, Russia, and Iran.

Q & A

Who is currently in control of Afghanistan as described in the script?

The Taliban is currently in control of Afghanistan.

What significant event occurred in Afghanistan in 2001 that led to the U.S. led coalition removing the Taliban from power?

The 9/11 attacks led to the U.S. led coalition removing the Taliban from power in 2001 as al-Qaeda had been allowed to use Afghanistan as a base.

What was the outcome of the direct talks between the Taliban and the Trump administration in 2020?

The outcome of the talks was a deal where the Taliban agreed not to attack U.S. troops, and the U.S. committed to leave Afghanistan.

What was President Biden's stance on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan as of July 2021?

President Biden recommitted to the withdrawal, stating that it was time to end America's longest war and bring the troops home.

What was the situation at Bagram Air Base on July 5th, and why was it significant?

On July 5th, the Americans left Bagram Air Base without telling the base's Afghan commander, marking a significant moment in the withdrawal process.

How did President Biden assess the risks of the withdrawal on July 8th, and what did he believe about the strength of Afghan troops?

President Biden believed that a Taliban takeover was not inevitable, citing the strength of the Afghan troops, which he claimed were 300,000 strong and well-equipped.

What pattern emerged as the Taliban took control of provincial capitals in Afghanistan?

The pattern that emerged was that the Taliban took control of provincial capitals mostly without resistance, and these cities often fell without a fight.

What was the international community's concern regarding the Taliban's rapid progress in August 2021?

The international community was concerned about the Taliban's human rights violations, particularly against women, and the potential for a catastrophic situation in Afghanistan.

What was the U.S. intelligence assessment regarding the fall of Kabul to the Taliban as reported by The Washington Post on August 10th?

The U.S. intelligence assessment believed that Kabul could fall to the Taliban within 90 days.

What significant event occurred on August 15th, 2021, that indicated the imminent fall of the Afghan government?

On August 15th, the Taliban entered Kabul with almost no resistance, and it was revealed that President Ghani had fled the country.

What was the situation at the Kabul airport on August 16th, and how did it reflect the desperation of the Afghan people?

On August 16th, there were harrowing scenes at the Kabul airport with thousands of Afghans desperately trying to get onto planes or U.S. helicopters to escape the country.

What was the U.S. stance on the Taliban's control of Afghanistan and the protection of women's rights as expressed by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken?

The U.S. called on those in power in Afghanistan to guarantee the protection of women and girls and their rights, stating that they would monitor how any future government ensures these rights and freedoms.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Fall of Afghanistan and the Taliban Takeover

The script details the swift takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, following the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces. It discusses the surprise collapse of the Afghan army, the hasty evacuation efforts by Western countries, and the background of the 20-year war that led to this point. The narrative includes the 2001 U.S.-led coalition's intervention post-9/11, the subsequent years of fighting, the 2020 peace deal with the Trump administration, and President Biden's reaffirmation of the withdrawal. The script also highlights the rapid territorial gains by the Taliban in July and August 2021, the fall of key cities without resistance, and the pleas for international intervention due to human rights violations. It concludes with the Taliban's entry into Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani's departure, and the chaos at the Kabul airport amidst the evacuation.

05:01

📉 U.S. Intelligence Misjudgment and the Rapid Unfolding of Events

This section of the script focuses on the underestimation by U.S. intelligence of the Taliban's momentum, with initial assessments suggesting a 90-day window before Kabul could fall. It captures the denial of inevitability by both the U.S. and Afghan leadership, the surrender of Kunduz, and the fear that spread as the Taliban approached Kabul. The narrative describes the lack of a political settlement, the U.S.'s assessment that Kabul was not in imminent danger, and the subsequent rapid fall of the city on August 15, 2021. It also includes President Ghani's address to the nation, the U.S.'s response to the crisis, and the Taliban's assurances of peace and security, which were met with skepticism by the international community.

10:02

🛫 Desperate Evacuation and International Responses

The final paragraph of the script describes the frantic efforts to evacuate civilians and diplomats from Kabul as the Taliban took control. It details the scenes of chaos at the airport, with people desperately trying to board planes and the use of U.S. helicopters for evacuation. The script moves on to President Biden's speech, where he defended his decision to withdraw U.S. forces and acknowledged the difficult lessons learned from the 20-year conflict. The Taliban's first press conference post-takeover is also mentioned, along with their promises to the international community. The narrative concludes with the U.S.'s focus on the non-combatant evacuation operation and the diminishing influence of Western powers in Afghanistan, as the country now looks towards regional powers like China, Russia, and Iran for future relations.

Keywords

💡Taliban

The Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist group that was originally formed in Afghanistan in the 1990s. In the video, the Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces is a central theme. The script mentions the Taliban's previous rule, their resurgence, and their eventual control over the country, illustrating the group's significant role in Afghanistan's recent history.

💡Afghanistan

Afghanistan is the central focus of the video, being the country where the events described are taking place. It is a nation in South Asia with a tumultuous recent history, having been the site of conflict since the U.S.-led coalition invaded in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks. The script discusses Afghanistan's political shifts, from the initial removal of the Taliban, through the period of elected government, to the current situation where the Taliban has regained control.

💡U.S.-led coalition

The U.S.-led coalition refers to the alliance of countries that came together under U.S. leadership to invade Afghanistan in 2001. The coalition's objective was to dismantle the Taliban regime and deny Al-Qaeda a safe haven. The script describes the coalition's role in the initial ousting of the Taliban and the subsequent 20-year military presence that ended with the withdrawal in 2021.

💡Withdrawal

The term 'withdrawal' in the script refers to the process of the U.S. and NATO forces leaving Afghanistan after two decades of military engagement. This decision and its execution are a significant part of the video's narrative, as it sets the stage for the rapid changes in Afghanistan's political landscape, including the swift takeover by the Taliban.

💡President Ashraf Ghani

Ashraf Ghani is mentioned as the President of Afghanistan who fled the country as the Taliban took control. His departure symbolizes the collapse of the Afghan government and the end of the democratic era in Afghanistan that was supported by the U.S. and its allies, as described in the script.

💡Bagram Air Base

Bagram Air Base is a significant military installation that was central to the U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan. The script notes the strategic importance of the base and its abandonment by U.S. forces, which marked a symbolic end to their presence in the country.

💡Evacuation

Evacuation in the context of the video refers to the urgent and chaotic departure of diplomats, civilians, and Afghan allies from Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover. The script describes the desperate scenes at the airport, with people attempting to flee the country to avoid the Taliban's rule.

💡Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was the name of the country under Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. The script implies the return of this era with the Taliban's resurgence, indicating a potential regression in terms of human rights and governance.

💡Human rights violations

The script raises concerns about human rights violations by the Taliban, particularly towards women and girls. It highlights the international community's worries about the potential for increased repression under Taliban rule, referencing past abuses and the immediate impact on personal freedoms.

💡Political settlement

A political settlement in the script refers to a potential resolution or agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The narrative discusses the failure to achieve such a settlement, which contributed to the Taliban's ability to take control without significant resistance.

💡Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO)

NEO stands for Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation, a military mission to evacuate civilians and non-combatants from a hostile environment. The script mentions that the U.S. military is conducting a large-scale NEO from Afghanistan, which is likely to be one of the largest of its kind, focusing on securing the airport and facilitating the departure of people.

Highlights

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan, with the country's president fleeing and Western countries scrambling to evacuate personnel.

The rapid collapse of the Afghan army within 11 days came as a surprise to the US and others.

Afghanistan, with a population of 48 million, shares borders with Iran and Pakistan and was ruled by the Taliban until 2001 when a US-led coalition ousted them following the 9/11 attacks.

The Taliban continued to fight even after being ousted from power, leading to years of conflict and significant loss of life.

In 2020, a deal was struck between the Taliban and the Trump administration, with the US committing to withdraw its troops.

President Joe Biden reaffirmed the US commitment to withdraw from Afghanistan, calling it time to end America's longest war.

Concerns were raised about the real strength of the Afghan military due to corruption and desertion.

The Taliban intensified its operations in July 2021, taking territory it had not controlled for 20 years.

The Taliban's capture of its first provincial capital without a fight indicated a pattern that would continue.

Afghanistan called on the UN to act to prevent a catastrophic situation and reported gross human rights violations by the Taliban.

The UN expressed concerns about the Taliban's progress and the impact on women's rights.

President Biden maintained his position on the withdrawal, placing responsibility on the Afghan government to control the situation.

US intelligence suggested Kabul could fall to the Taliban within 90 days, but the actual fall happened much sooner.

The Taliban's rapid advance and the lack of a political settlement raised fears about the potential fall of Kabul.

On August 14, 2021, the Taliban entered Kabul with almost no resistance, and President Ghani fled the country.

The US and other Western countries focused on evacuating their citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan.

President Biden defended his decision to withdraw US forces, stating there was never a good time to do so.

The Taliban held a press conference, promising not to allow Afghanistan's soil to be used against anyone.

The international community, including the US, called for the protection of women and girls' rights in Afghanistan.

The US no longer considers Ashraf Ghani a figure in Afghanistan, and the Taliban is now in a position to form a government.

The US and its allies have limited influence in Afghanistan, with the Taliban likely to listen more to China, Russia, and Iran.

Transcripts

the taliban is in control of afghanistan

the country's president has fled and

western countries are scrambling to get

people out and this took the us by

surprise i did not nor did anyone else

see a collapse of an army that size in

11 days but that's what happened across

the next few minutes let's go through

how after 20 years of war this unfolded

so quickly

afghanistan's a country of 48 million it

shares lengthy borders with iran and

pakistan and in 2001 a u.s led coalition

removed the taliban from power following

the 9 11 attacks al qaeda had been

allowed to use the country as a base

with the taliban out of power an elected

government followed but the taliban

didn't go away years of fighting

followed tens of thousands of afghan

troops militants and civilians died as

did thousands from the u.s led coalition

and in 2020 after direct talks between

the taliban and the trump administration

a deal was done the taliban would not

attack u.s troops the u.s committed to

leave and in april the new president joe

biden recommitted to that withdrawal

i've concluded that it's time to end

america's longest war

it's time for american troops to come

home and while america's nato allies

expressed concern they concluded with

the americans going they had to too and

so the withdrawal gathered pace by july

a symbolic moment was reached this is

archive footage of bagram air base it

was a central facility to the us-led

operation in afghanistan and on july the

5th in the middle of the night the

americans left bagram for good without

telling the base's afghan commander

several days later the 8th of july

president biden was asked to assess the

risks he was taking with this withdrawal

is a taliban takeover of afghanistan now

inevitable no

it is not why

because you have the afghan troops have

300 000

well-equipped as well as quipped as any

army in the world and an air force

against something like 75 000 taliban

it is not inevitable

that 300 000 figure though is contested

because of corruption and desertion

there were questions about the real

strength of the afghan military

nonetheless in the following weeks of

july the u.s continued its withdrawal

and the taliban continued to intensify

its operations by the beginning of

august the taliban was taking territory

it hadn't occupied for 20 years this map

shows taliban controlled areas in red

contested territory in yellow and

regions under government control

in bloom

then on the 6th of august came another

strategic and symbolic moment the

taliban took its first provincial

capital surrounded as a city on the

southern border with iran in something

that would become a pattern it fell

without a fight and afghanistan made

this plea to the un the council must act

and prevent a catastrophic situation we

are alarmed by reports and incidences of

gross human rights violation by the

taliban and their foreign terrorist

associate in almost half of our country

that alarm will have grown between the

7th and 10th of august the taliban took

eight more provincial capitals mostly

without resistance by now a quarter of

afghanistan's biggest cities were in its

control and the bbc secunda camani was

in one of these new taliban strongholds

speaking to its fighters

how can you justify all this fighting

when it's causing the deaths of

thousands of or afghans thousands of

ordinary muslims

but while the taliban was insisting on

islamic rule in afghanistan the un was

speaking out against its progress women

are already being you know killed and

shot for breaching rules that have been

imposed on on their what they can wear

and on where they can move without a

male escort

it's time for the international

community to prioritize peace in

afghanistan president biden though was

not shifting his position on the

withdrawal and he placed responsibility

for controlling the situation in

afghanistan on its government i think

they're beginning to realize they've got

to come together politically at the top

and but we're going to continue to keep

our commitment but i do not regret my

decision

this was on the 10th of august also on

the 10th of august the washington post

published this story it showed us u.s

intelligence which believed kabul could

fall to the taliban within 90 days but

the next day white house spokesperson

jen saki resisted the idea that the

taliban's momentum was unstoppable

we are closely watching the

deteriorating security conditions in

parts of the country but no particular

outcome in our view is inevitable so

nothing is inevitable said jen saki no

regrets said joe biden and if that

intelligence assessment said all could

be lost in 90 days

it was to take far less than that

on the same day gensake was saying a

taliban victory was not inevitable the

afghan president was trying to show as

much he traveled to the besieged city of

missouri sharif and whatever boost he

was hoping for this was undercut by the

surrender of hundreds of afghan soldiers

in nearby condos because afghans knew

what kunduz meant the taliban could make

it to kunduz maybe they could make it to

kabul and that in itself is a big fear

the only good option would be if there's

some kind of a political settlement but

what form would that settlement take the

taliban's always refused to deal

directly with the afghan government even

while negotiating with the americans

would it really seek a political

settlement now with the americans going

and the afghan military giving ground

no was the answer there was no political

settlement and by the 13th of august

this was the u.s assessment kabul is not

right now

in an imminent threat environment

but clearly david

if you just look at what the taliban has

been doing

you can see that they are trying to

isolate kabul the threat to kabul was

certainly imminent by the next day the

14th of august the taliban took

afghanistan's second largest city

kandahar as my colleague igita lemai

reported

this is the center of kandahar city a

political and economic powerhouse

the taliban were born in this province

to show off their gains the group's

fighters filmed themselves walking

through the provincial governor's office

by this stage there was little doubt

that kabul and the government could fall

embassy started evacuating diplomats and

civilians the u.s began sending

thousands of u.s troops to help with the

evacuation and as it did taliban

fighters were reaching the outskirts of

the capital on saturday the 14th

president ghani addressed the nation

what afghanistan

our dear country afghanistan is in

serious danger of instability the

reintegration of the security and

defense forces is our priority

and we're taking serious measures to

deal with this whatever measures were

taken they weren't enough on sunday the

15th the taliban entered kabul and met

almost no resistance it emerged

president ghani had fled the country and

a taliban spokesperson called my

colleague hakeem while she was live on

bbc news you want to avoid bloodshed

onto destruction

to of properties of the people and

to not to give chance

to

plunder

looters

who are

waiting for such moments to loot or

plunder

the properties of the people nine days

after seizing its first provincial

capital the taliban had taken over and

there was perhaps no better illustration

of its remarkable progress than these

pictures of taliban fighters sitting

behind president ghani's desk in the

presidential palace

by the morning of monday the 16th the

issue is not whether the taliban was in

control it was the immediate issue was

the airport as thousands of afghans

tried to get out extraordinary and

harrowing footage emerged of people

desperately trying to get onto planes of

u.s helicopters being used to clear

people from the runway

and the people chasing one u.s plane

down the runway while others clung to

the fuselage hours after this president

biden addressed americans and he refused

to accept mistakes had been made i stand

squarely behind my decision

after 20 years

i've learned the hard way

that there was never a good time to

withdraw

u.s forces that was monday the 16th on

tuesday the 17th the taliban gave a

press conference and made its case

it is very understandable the

international community is

expressing worries about the security

and about afghanistan

but i reassure all internationals the

u.n all embassies

to all our neighbors

that we will not be allowing

the soil of afghanistan

to be used against anybody those

reassurances rang hollow for many and

there was growing fury that the taliban

should even be in a position to offer

them on wednesday we heard some of that

fury as the house of commons was

recalled and now it was boris johnson's

turn to defend the withdrawal

the west could not continue

this u.s us-led mission

a mission conceived and executed

in support and defense of america

without american logistics without u.s

air power and without american might and

so whatever the rights and wrongs of the

withdrawal this is the point we'd reach

by wednesday the 18th the taliban was

now working to form a government some of

its most senior leaders had arrived in

the country this was the welcome party

for the taliban's political leader in

kandahar in kabul high-level meetings

were happening about the transfer of

power

also on wednesday the ousted president

ashraf ghani posted a video on facebook

for now i am in the united arab emirates

so that bloodshed and chaos is stopped

i'm currently in talks to return to

afghanistan but any hope mr ghani has of

returning to power looks slim minutes

after that statement the u.s said it no

longer considers mr ghani a figure in

afghanistan and rather than trying to

seize power away from the taliban the

americans at the moment are much more

concerned with the vast operation that's

underway

currently the united states military is

focused on the specific mission of

conducting a non-combatant evacuation

operation from afghanistan

this is likely to be

probably the second largest neo

conducted by the united states

and that operation very much focuses on

kabul airport there we continue to see

desperate scenes thousands of people

continue to try and get into the airport

and onto a flight but as the americans

acknowledge while they control the

airport they no longer control the

entire process

the taliban have informed us that they

are prepared to provide the safe passage

of civilians to the airport and we

intend to hold them to that commitment

and if the americans have limited

control over how people can get out now

there's a far longer term loss of

control to consider too

on wednesday evening in the us secretary

of state anthony blinken tweeted

together with our international partners

we call on those in positions of power

and authority across afghanistan to

guarantee the protection of women and

girls and their rights he goes on we

will monitor closely how any future

government ensures their rights and

freedoms

but as mr blinken well knows it's the

taliban which is in power now an

organization responsible for an array of

atrocities all the way back to the 90s

and having spent 20 years fighting the

us and its allies you imagine having its

human rights record monitored is of no

concern because whatever the western

leaders say or tweet the reality is

their influence is dwindling and the

democracy they helped create in

afghanistan is gone it will be to china

russia and iran that the taliban listens

not to the u.s or the uk or their nato

allies it's an uncomfortable outcome

after 20 years billions of dollars and

thousands of lives lost