Leaving Afghanistan
What happens after the forever war ends?
The Year Kabul Fell Again
A stunning Taliban takeover left Afghanistan—and the world—transformed.
Why the Taliban Still Love Suicide Bombing
The group is normalizing death and despair in the Islamic Emirate.
U.N., World Bank Under Pressure to Offer Aid to Afghanistan
The existing sanctions regime on Taliban leaders makes it hard for the world to help the Afghan people.
Afghan Refugees Get Cold Welcome in Pakistan
The Taliban takeover has pushed many Afghans over the border and into another kind of limbo.
Taliban takeover
Taliban Splintered by Internal Divisions, External Spoilers
Pakistan said to be supporting alternative jihadi groups to undermine the Taliban and maintain leverage over Afghanistan.
12 Million Angry Men
The Taliban promised justice. They are hard-pressed to provide it.
The Taliban Don’t Need the West
Afghanistan’s new rulers have shown themselves to be skilled—and ruthless—diplomats. 
The Taliban’s Sharia Is the Most Brutal of All
The Afghan government is imposing punishments that have no comparison elsewhere in the Islamic world.
Regional dynamics
Qatari Diplomat: ‘There’s a Serious Need for Engagement’ With the Taliban
Qatar’s assistant foreign minister discussed the Taliban, the need for a clear road map, and Afghanistan’s uncertain future.
Afghanistan Is No Treasure Trove for China
The country’s mineral wealth remains largely theoretical.
Afghanistan Is a Bigger Headache for Tehran Than It Is Letting On
Iran cheered the U.S. withdrawal but is nervously hedging its bets with the Taliban.
Pakistan’s Friendship With the Taliban Is Changing
Expect a recalibration of the relationship by both sides now the Taliban are in power.
Refugee crisis
Will Afghan Refugees Stranded in Southeast Asia Be Resettled?
After the fall of Kabul, some countries are opening their doors. Afghans who have been stuck in Malaysia and Indonesia for years are hoping that they will not be forgotten.
The United States Needs an Afghan Refugee Resettlement Act
Legislation passed in the wake of the Vietnam War could provide a blueprint for today’s policymakers.
Biden Sparked a Refugee Crisis. He Must Help Europe Bear the Cost.
The chaotic U.S. withdrawal has already led thousands of Afghans to flee.
How to Avoid Humanitarian Catastrophe in Afghanistan
The Biden administration should maximize diplomacy and prioritize support for front-line organizations.
Women in Afghanistan
School’s Out in the Taliban’s Afghanistan
The Taliban say modern education is of no use as the country heads toward economic meltdown and starvation.
The Tragic Fate of Afghanistan’s Journalists
Many are fleeing or in hiding. Women, some locked out of their outlets, are in particular danger.
‘They Left Us to the Taliban’
Six Afghan women describe their feelings of fear, anger, and betrayal in the wake of America’s departure.
In Taliban’s New Afghan Emirate, Women Are Invisible
“All the women of Afghanistan have one fear, the Taliban,” said former deputy defense minister Munera Yousufzada.
Latest Stories
Biden’s Options in Afghanistan
The United States and Pakistan must work together to secure the country’s future.
There’s No Shortcut to Peace in Afghanistan
Washington’s latest idea of a transitional government would be worse than the dysfunctional status quo.
In Race Against Time, Biden Officials Launch New Afghan Peace Drive
Washington’s latest proposal would draw on Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran for support.
Biden Has a Plan to Not Break Afghanistan
New details are trickling out about how the United States is preparing to withdraw its troops without leaving chaos behind.
‘This is the Darkest Moment’: Afghans Flee a Crumbling Country
The educated middle classes that were meant to be the foundation of a new Afghanistan are tired of terror, insecurity, and the return of the Taliban.
How Not to Leave Afghanistan
Congress has issued a report on the longest war in U.S. history. Here’s hoping Biden ignores it.
America Is Going the Same Way as the Soviets in Afghanistan
The Soviet withdrawal was a disaster. The U.S. version looks eerily similar.
To Leave Afghanistan, Biden Must Solve His Ghani Problem
Even as the United States checks the Taliban, it must stop the Afghan president from playing the spoiler.
Another Base Attack in Afghanistan Hushed Up to Hurry U.S. Exit
Camp Chapman, once the scene of the CIA’s second-deadliest day, was hit again in December—but never reported.
Looming Aid Cuts Will Harm Afghan Women’s Health
With violence on the rise and the U.S. military drawing down, international donors are pulling back some assistance to Afghanistan. Women in refugee camps stand to suffer.
Afghanistan Needs Truth Before It Can Have Reconciliation
Politicians and warlords have benefited from decades of violence. The victims of the country’s endless wars could provide the key to a lasting peace.
In Afghanistan, Bringing New Life Into the World Is Deadly
Terrorist violence and COVID-19 have set maternal health back decades.
Trump’s New Defense Secretary Announces Afghan Withdrawal
The hasty–and unexplained—move drew criticism from Republicans and the head of NATO.
Afghans Caught in the Crossfire While U.S. Prepares to Clear Out
Despite ongoing peace talks, intensifying Taliban attacks on Afghans across the country are out of control—and threaten the country’s future.
Whatever Happens on Tuesday, Afghans Just Want an End to Their Own National Nightmare
Both Biden and Trump have pledged to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. But the Taliban have a vote, too.
Afghanistan Is Not Doomed to Repeat Its Past
Peace talks in Afghanistan may come down to an agreement between the Taliban and Kabul on an interim government. Here’s how the sides can avoid the pitfalls of 1992 and 2001.