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
It’s Not Too Late to Save America’s Afghan Allies
Here are three steps the Biden administration can take today.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul: ‘Engagement Has to Continue’ With Taliban Government
Mansoor Ahmad Khan tells FP that Afghanistan is more stable now, and he denies any Pakistani support for the militant group.
Afghanistan’s Economic Freefall
Without urgent assistance, nearly the entire country could sink into poverty, the United Nations Development Program warns.
Don’t Arm the Afghan Resistance
Supporting anti-Taliban fighters will spark a return to civil war, antagonize Pakistan, and draw the United States back into a conflict it sought to put behind it.
Afghanistan Isn’t Good Terrorist Real Estate
Even if the Taliban wanted to serve as a safe haven, there’s no reason to think terrorists would want to take up the offer.
The U.S. Military Needs to Learn How to Train Auxiliary Armies
The Afghan army’s collapse shows American forces are using the wrong approach.
Those Left Behind in Afghanistan
A month after the U.S. withdrawal, Afghans who worked for the U.S. war effort are in hiding. Few see a way out.
Pentagon Leaders Contradict Biden Over Troops in Afghanistan
Lawmakers raked Gen. Milley, Gen. McKenzie, and Defense Secretary Austin over the coals for the chaotic end to the war in Afghanistan.
America Isn’t Ready to Fight the Islamic State in Afghanistan
The jihadi group’s continued rise has left the United States with only bad options.
Afghan Resistance Mulls Formation of Government in Exile
Fighters, politicians, and generals will try to ape the Taliban’s playbook while the extremists sleepwalk into civil war.
NATO Chief on Afghan Legacy: ‘Have To Ask Some Difficult Questions’
Jens Stoltenberg weighs in on AUKUS, Zapad, and the fate of Afghanistan after 20 years of bitter toil.
The Myth of Moderate Jihadis
The unspoken pact between Washington and anti-Islamic State jihadi groups is a short-sighted move that will reward extremists.
Why the Taliban Won’t Quit al Qaeda
Don’t expect the Taliban to compromise their terrorist allies.
Throw a Lifeline to the Afghans Left Behind
This week’s U.N. General Assembly provides an opportunity to assist the minorities, activists, women, and girls still in Afghanistan.
How Not to Lose the Peace in Afghanistan
A U.N. peacekeeping mission could help avert civil war.
China and Pakistan See Eye to Eye on the Taliban—Almost
They share economic and geopolitical interests in Afghanistan, but counterterrorism could be a wrench.