The swift fall of Kabul recalls the ignominious fall of Saigon in 1975. Beyond the local consequences – widespread reprisals, harsh repression of women and girls, and massive refugee flows – America’s strategic and moral failure in Afghanistan will reinforce questions about U.S. reliability among friends and foes alike. By Richard Haass
Taliban in the ascendant: Joe Biden and America s withdrawal of choice en.qantara.de - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from en.qantara.de Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan over after taking control of the presidential palace in Kabul, while Western nations scrambled on Monday to evacuate their citizens amid chaos at the airpor
Ban on Afghan girls singing dropped after activist outrage
Afghanistan s government distanced itself from a recent plan to ban girls from singing in public after women s rights activists slammed education officials for promoting a Taliban-like policy. By Nasim Saber
The Afghan Ministry of Education has annulled a ban on public singing performances by girls over the age of twelve, which was announced on 10 March in Kabul. The capital s local education authority had issued the order without prior consultation with the ministry, it said.
Following criticism at home and abroad and an Afghan campaign on social media, the ministry issued a statement saying girls should retain the same rights as boys in the future. The leadership of the Ministry of Education is committed to the right to education and grants the free choice of girls and boys to participate in cultural, artistic and sporting activities, the statement reads. It added: The instruction issued by the Kabul Education Auth