How did the Taliban take back control of Afghanistan?

How did the Taliban take back control of Afghanistan?

By Natasha Lindstaedt Taliban victory inevitable despite the trillions the US poured in.  In less than a week, the Taliban has captured nearly a dozen key cities in Afghanistan. With the departure of US forces, it is poised to take over the country from the embattled...
As the West moves out, what next for Afghans?

As the West moves out, what next for Afghans?

By Paul Rogers As the Taliban rapidly expand in the shadow of US and NATO allies’ retreat, has anyone considered the impact on innocent civilians? Military leaders in the United States and Britain, as well as allied countries, now accept that they have lost their war...
What has prevented an end to the Syrian war?

What has prevented an end to the Syrian war?

By Hanlie Booysen Ten years on from the Syrian uprising, what has prevented an end to the tragedy? Ten years ago this month, Syrians took to the streets to call for political reform and social dignity. The success with which earlier protest movements in Tunisia and...
Can peace come to Yemen? 🔊

Can peace come to Yemen? 🔊

Since 2014, Yemen has been embroiled in an ongoing civil war. In the process, it has become the salient battleground for the ongoing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and has been described as the world’s worst humanitarian disaster by the UN. What are the...
Is it time for New Zealand to leave Afghanistan?

Is it time for New Zealand to leave Afghanistan?

By Robert Patman & Ryan Webb New Zealand can take some pride from the largely positive contribution it has made in nation-building and advancing human rights in Afghanistan, says Robert Patman and Ryan Webb.  Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, few...
Can peace come to the Western Sahara? 🔊

Can peace come to the Western Sahara? 🔊

In November last year, a near three-decade-old ceasefire in the disputed region of Western Sahara was broken, and war resumed. This territory has been a tinderbox of conflict since Spain decolonised in 1975. What are the roots of this conflict? Why has conflict...
Has peace come to Nagorno-Karabakh? 🔊

Has peace come to Nagorno-Karabakh? 🔊

On September 27, 2020, fighting along the so-called line of control between Azerbaijan and the region of Nagorno-Karabakh broke out. Azerbaijani forces advanced throughout the month, and Armenian resistance struggled to hold territory. On November 10, the two sides...