Afghanistan: growing influence of the Taliban, the government in disarray
The co-founder of the Taliban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (center), during inter-Afghan negotiations with the government of Kabul, in Doha on March 18, 2021. AP - Alexander Zemlianichenko
Text by: Sonia Ghezali Follow
4 min
The total withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan is planned before September 11.
While violence continues more than ever in the country, the peace negotiations in Doha between the delegation sent by the Afghan government and that of the Taliban have stalled.
Publicity
Read more
From our special correspondent in Kabul,
Will negotiations with the Taliban finally resume and move forward?
This is what is hoped for every day in Doha, where members of the Kabul government delegation are located.
But everything remains very confused.
On Sunday, June 20, the Taliban, who are often criticized for not having any real intention to make peace or to plan for governance, issued a long statement.
Their desire, they write, is to achieve "
a genuine Islamic regime
"
through negotiations
.
They call on the international community to let the Afghans decide their fate and not to interfere in their affairs.
What exactly is their social project?
They "will
preserve the rights of all citizens, men and women, in the light of the precepts of Islam and the traditions of Afghan society
", they assure.
Do they plan to let women occupy positions of responsibility in private or government structures?
We won't know more.
►
To read also: The Taliban ask the former Afghan interpreters to express "remorse"
Find a way to go into exile
Faced with these struggling negotiations, the weariness among the population was noticeable a few months ago, as well as an obvious concern about the uncertainty of the future.
Today, pessimism reigns.
It is as if the stakes are over, the dice have been cast.
Everyone expects the worst.
Many are trying to find a way out of Afghanistan.
Taxi drivers, teachers, students, housekeepers ... The country has been at war for forty years and what many feel here on the eve of the departure of foreign troops is the arrival of the chaos.
The Taliban, far from having reduced their attacks against foreign forces, on the contrary intensified them.
They are now at the gates of several provincial capitals, including districts of Kabul province.
There are still three months, we went to Istalif, a town north of Kabul without fear for his safety.
Today, it is strongly advised not to go there because the Taliban are now all around.
►
To read also: Afghanistan: new deadly attack on a bus
Government stampede
How, under these conditions, are the Afghan authorities preparing for the withdrawal of foreign troops?
This is precisely what is worrying.
It seems that there is a rout of the government.
The resignations or dismissals or replacements of ministers and their deputies, in particular to key security positions, are linked.
President Ashraf Ghani seems increasingly isolated.
On the ground, especially in the provinces, criticism of the government in Kabul is increasing.
Because the decisions emanating from the capital, in particular on the strategy in the face of the Taliban assaults, are perceived as inappropriate.
On Twitter, the Taliban are more active than ever.
They flood the social network with videos of sedition of soldiers or government employees joining their ranks.
The authenticity of these videos is often difficult to verify, but the effect produced on public opinion is effective.
This generates a fear that is only growing and it gives the feeling that the Taliban, who already control or have an influence on more than half of the country, are only expanding their territory a little more every day.
►
To read also: Afghanistan: vaccinators of the anti-polio campaign killed in targeted attacks
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Afghanistan
Taliban
Ashraf Ghani
United States
On the same subject
Afghanistan: polio campaign vaccinators killed in targeted attacks
Taliban ask former Afghan interpreters to express 'remorse'
Afghanistan: deadly new bus attack