It's been two decades since the Taliban had full control of Afghanistan. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly spoke to historian Carter Malkasian about who's running the Taliban now — and who's funding them.
President Biden addressed the nation after images from the airport in the Afghan capital showed desperate people fleeing before the Taliban advance. He said he stands by his decision to withdraw.
The simple question of whether the U.S. should stay or go was not simple at all. Now Biden's determination to leave Afghanistan has resulted in a bigger mess than he bargained for.
Images from the ground show hundreds if not thousands of Afghans crowding the airport, including the tarmac, in an apparent attempt to flee the country.
Monday on Political Rewind: Georgians awoke this morning to news of the swift collapse of the government of Afghanistan. The end of the war now presents a humanitarian crisis. It has also become a raging partisan political matter, sure to play a role in the 2022 election cycle.
As Taliban forces continue a sweeping offensive and are nearing the capital, trust in Afghanistan's government is dwindling despite the Afghan president's vow to prevent further instability.
It's not clear if the Taliban will be able to seize control of the entire country, but the speed of their advance has many inside and outside the country alarmed at the prospect.
The prospect of a Taliban takeover has people inside and outside Afghanistan worried about a return to an oppressive past. As the U.S. nears a full withdrawal, those fears are rapidly growing.
President Biden defended his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan despite the Taliban gaining power and threatening the Afghan government.
The attack targeted workers clearing landmines with the HALO Trust charity. The militant Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Afghanistan is one of the world's most heavily mined countries.
