ASIA
Taliban celebrating three years in power; Here are some of their achievements
August 14, 2024, marks the third anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in Afghanistan. Over the past three years, the Taliban leadership has worked to consolidate their control, reassert their governance, and address the myriad challenges facing the nation. Despite widespread challenges, the Islamic Emirate has recorded several notable successes and achievements, particularly in areas of security, governance, and economic adaptation.
Establishing Control and Ensuring Security
One of the most significant successes of the Taliban has been its ability to establish control across Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. and and other foreign troops withdrawal in 2021. The rapid fall of the previous Afghan government left a power vacuum that the ruling system quickly filled, restoring a semblance of order in a country long plagued by conflict.
Under the Islamic Emirate’s rule, large-scale military conflicts have diminished significantly, especially compared to the previous two decades of war. The group’s emphasis on maintaining internal security has resulted in reduced violence in many parts of the country, contributing to a sense of relative stability. By enforcing strict law and order, the Taliban has managed to curb crime in several regions.
Taliban military vehicles parade to celebrate the third anniversary of Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, at the Bagram Air Base, in Bagram, Parwan province on August 14, 2024. (AFP)
Promoting Independence and Sovereignty
The Taliban has emphasized Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence, a stance that resonates with many Afghans who lived through years of foreign occupation. The Taliban has portrayed its rule as a reclamation of Afghan identity and autonomy, free from external interference. This narrative has bolstered their legitimacy among segments of the population who value national sovereignty above all.
The Taliban have resisted foreign influence in their domestic policies, insisting on a governance model rooted in their interpretation of Islamic law. This approach has reinforced their control over Afghanistan’s internal affairs, ensuring that decisions about the country’s future are made within its borders, without external dictation.
Economic Adaptation in a Challenging Environment
Faced with an economic crisis exacerbated by international sanctions and the freezing of Afghan assets abroad, the Taliban has had to navigate an exceptionally challenging economic landscape. Despite these difficulties, the Taliban has made efforts to stabilize the economy and adapt to the new realities of governing without the extensive foreign aid that Afghanistan had relied on for decades.
The Taliban has managed to keep the banking system operational and have maintained basic public services such as healthcare and primary education. The ruling system has sought to increase revenue through customs duties, taxation, and the extraction of natural resources, providing a lifeline for the cash-strapped economy.
Moreover, the Taliban has worked to strengthen economic ties with regional powers, including China, Pakistan, and Iran. These relationships have been instrumental in facilitating trade and securing economic support, which, while limited, has been crucial in preventing a complete economic collapse.
Infrastructure and Public Services
Despite the economic difficulties, the Islamic Emirate has made some progress in maintaining and, in certain areas, improving infrastructure and public services. Road maintenance, urban infrastructure, and electricity supply have continued in various parts of the country, with the Islamic Emirate emphasizing the importance of these projects for the nation’s development.
Efforts have also been made to ensure the continuity of basic public services. Health services, although under strain, have remained operational, and the Islamic Emirate worked to address the needs of the population in areas like agriculture, which is vital for Afghanistan’s largely rural economy. These efforts, while limited by resource constraints, demonstrate the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to sustaining essential services for its citizens.
Diplomatic Engagement and Regional Relations
While the Taliban has not achieved widespread international recognition, they have made strides in diplomatic engagement, particularly with neighboring countries. The Taliban has sought to build pragmatic relationships with regional powers, recognizing the importance of these ties for Afghanistan’s economic and security interests.
Countries like Pakistan, China, Russia, and Iran have engaged with the Taliban, driven by mutual interests such as border security, trade, and regional stability. The Taliban’s ability to secure these diplomatic relationships has been a notable achievement, helping to partially offset the broader international isolation imposed by Western powers and their allies.
Preserving Cultural and Religious Identity
Another significant achievement of the Islamic Emirate has been its focus on preserving Afghanistan’s cultural and religious identity. The Islamic Emirate has positioned itself as the protectors of Islamic values and traditions, a role it sees as crucial in maintaining social cohesion and national identity. The ruling system has implemented laws and policies aimed at reinforcing these values, appealing to a significant portion of the population that shares their vision of a society governed by Islamic principles.
Conclusion
As the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan marks its third anniversary, it can point to several successes and achievements amidst a backdrop of challenges.
The Taliban has managed to establish control, maintain a degree of security, and adapt to an exceptionally difficult economic environment. Their emphasis on national sovereignty and cultural preservation has reinforced their legitimacy among certain segments of the Afghan population, and their diplomatic efforts have helped sustain vital regional relationships.
However, the road ahead remains complex, with ongoing economic struggles, and international recognition.
Nonetheless, the Islamic Emirate’s ability to navigate these challenges and build on its successes will be crucial as it continues to shape the future of Afghanistan.
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, has ordered the security institutions that without his permission, “no one can distribute or use the military equipment registered by the ministries of defense and interior, the directorate of intelligence and other independent institutions.”
Experts and analysts have considered this move by Hibatullah as last resort to weaken the position of defense minister, Yaqoob Mujahid, interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani and the head of Taliban intelligence, Abdul Haq Wasiq in order to prevent a possible internal coup that was initiated by these three top officials.
In the first article of the order, it is mentioned that no person can distribute military equipment registered in the reserves of the ministries of defense, interior and intelligence, or issue an order to distribute it without the order of Hibatullah.
This decree titled “Regarding the distribution, protection and supervision of registered military equipment”, specifies that whenever an Emirate entity (Taliban-related entity) needs weapons, ammunition, night vision cameras, telecommunications and other military equipment” must receive the approval order from the leader of the Taliban.
Also, in the second article of this decree, it is stated that whenever one of the military departments of the Taliban needs military equipment, it must send its request to Hibatullah’s office in Kandahar.
In the third article of the decree, it is emphasized that if the military equipment was distributed or used without the permission of the Taliban leader before the issuance of this decree, they must be returned to the reserves.
Ministries of defense, interior and head of intelligence department are banned from disturbing military weapons.
According to this article, Hibatullah entrusted the ministries of defense and interior, as well as the general directorate of Taliban intelligence, with the responsibility to report the list of available military equipment to the directorate of registration, and protection of military equipment.
This order of the Taliban leader has been considered as another step in the direction of concentrating more power in the hands of Mullah Hibatullah in Kandahar. Many have seen it as a sign of Hibatullah’s increasing distrust of senior Taliban officials in Kabul. Previously, some senior Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, have openly disobeyed Hibatullah’s order to prohibit photography and filming and have not followed the order of their supreme leader.
(R) Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid and (L) Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.
Previously, several reports have been published about the sale of military equipment left over from the US troops and Afghan security forces during the republic government. Even the US-elected president Donald Trump, repeatedly mentioned this issue during his election campaigns. Not long ago, the government of Pakistan also announced that the Pakistan security forces have discovered and confiscated a car carrying US weapons smuggled from Afghanistan.
Pakistani media reported that this equipment included M4 assault rifles, night vision cameras and thousands of rounds of ammunition, which were transported in a truck carrying vegetables. Pakistani security officials have estimated the total value of weapons smuggled from Afghanistan in this truck to be 126,354 US dollars.
The cost of US’s remaining equipment in Afghanistan estimated over 7 billion US dollars
The Pentagon has already announced that after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, about 7 billion dollars of military equipment fell into the hands of the Taliban. This equipment reached the hands of the Taliban after the fall of Afghanistan on 15 August, 2021.
It has been reported that when the US forces left Afghanistan, there were 78 US-made aircrafts in the country, whose value reached 1 billion dollars. According to CNN, with the end of the US military presence, a total of more than 9,000 air-to-ground munitions worth more than six and a half million dollars have remained in Afghanistan.
The report also states that out of a total of 96,000 military vehicles, more than 40,000 units, including 12,000 Humvees (armored tanks), fell into the hands of the Taliban. Moreover, out of a total of more than 400,000 weapons that the US gave to the forces of the former Afghan government, about 300,000 remain in the country.
Almost all “communications equipment, including mobile base stations, portable and hand-held commercial and military radio systems, and associated transmitters and encryption devices, all remain in Afghanistan,” according to the report.
The report added that “almost all” of the equipment for night vision cameras, surveillance, biometric and positioning equipment,” a total of nearly 42 thousand pieces of specialized equipment, remained in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Five Mi 17 helicopters of the then Afghan army, which were transferred to Ukraine for repair before the collapse of the government, have also returned to Afghanistan and now are used by the Taliban.
It should be noted that the internal rivalries in the Taliban, especially among the different factions of this group, is one of the important reasons for Mullah Hibatullah’s distrust of some Taliban officials. Some officials, including interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and defense minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, gained a lot of power, especially during the Taliban’s war against foreign forces, and Mullah Hibatullah may be worried that these officials are trying to expand their power, which is a clear threat to his position as the Taliban leader.
Trump appoints Gaetz as Justice Secretary, Gabbard as Intelligence Chief
U.S. sets up new ‘air defence base’ in Poland
German think tank DGAP: Germany and Europe must build military strength in the Asia-Pacific region
Katz’s statement on Hezbollah disarmament surprises even Halevi
Green light from CDU for debt brake reform
-
AMERICA1 week agoThe ‘third candidate’ in the U.S. elections: Jill Stein
-
AMERICA2 weeks agoAmerican billionaires’ presidential preferences
-
EUROPE1 week agoA ‘holy alliance’ in the Bundestag: Anti-semitism law unites AfD and Greens
-
ASIA1 week agoAstraZeneca’s top Chinese executive detained by authorities
-
AMERICA3 days agoNew trade wars on the horizon: Trump signals return of ‘isolationist’ Lighthizer
-
AMERICA1 week agoKamala Harris loses support among Arab and Muslim voters
-
AMERICA2 weeks agoMuslim American votes matter; Who do they vote for?
-
DIPLOMACY1 week agoCanada refuses to release list of 900 Nazi war criminals
