
‘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.

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.

Afghanistan Wanted Chinese Mining Investment. It Got a Chinese Spy Ring Instead.
Desperate to jump-start its economy, Kabul is sick of waiting for Beijing to tap the country’s mineral wealth.

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.

Crime Wave Further Rocks Confidence in Afghan Government
Afghan officials are trying to contain a spate of kidnappings and armed robberies that appear designed to bolster public thirst for Taliban-style justice—just ahead of a critical donor meeting.

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.

Afghans See No Good Choices in the U.S. Election
Regardless of who wins next week, Afghans feel neither Trump nor Biden will do anything for Afghanistan—they just hope the next president completes the U.S. withdrawal.

The U.S. Once Surged into Helmand Province. Now the Taliban Is, Too.
As Afghanistan peace talks drag on, with Washington sending mixed signals on troop withdrawals, the Taliban make a violent bid for a key province.

Empire of Graveyards
Nineteen years ago, the United States began its war in Afghanistan. What is it leaving behind?

Our Top Weekend Reads
Media bubbles get a reality check, Sudan toys with Tel Aviv, and the ivory tower comes full circle.

Feeling Abandoned by Kabul, Many Rural Afghans Flock to Join the Taliban
“My hope is with the Taliban,” said one new recruit who has known only war and broken promises.

The Taliban, at Least, Are Striking Gold in Afghanistan
The militant group mines almost half a billion dollars a year from Afghan soil—and wants more.

Public Support Surges for Trump-Backed Afghan Peace Plan
Nearly two-thirds of Trump and Biden supporters said they “strongly” or “somewhat” support the peace deal that would get U.S. forces out of Afghanistan next year.