Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan: a comparative analysis between 1996 and 2021

Abstract

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 has significant implications for the country, the region, and the international community. The group's past government was marked by human rights abuses and support for terrorism, which raises concerns about their ability to govern effectively and address the country's challenges. Comparing the different approaches taken by the Taliban in 1996 and 2021 to achieve power, as well as the group's behavioral differences in both moments, through their speeches and concern for the image caused abroad, it is possible to notice that the new established government breaks, at least in public image, with the group's stereotype, trying to adapt to the new international scenario, which is very different from the late 1990s. The veracity of the statements made by Taliban representatives in Afghanistan regarding the measures that would be taken and the caution for the maintenance of human rights is not the subject of study in this work. It only seeks to demonstrate the government's intention to establish connections with the international community and the unprecedented concern for the repercussion of their actions abroad. The Taliban's relationship with neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, and China will also shape Afghanistan's future, as well as commercial agreements with countries such as Russia, which can be decisive for managing the Afghan economy (BHATIA, 2021).