The situation in Afghanistan in 2021–2023 following the withdrawal of the international anti-terrorist coalition

Abstract

Following the withdrawal of the international counter-terrorist coalition from Afghanistan in 2021, the situation in the country is of grave concern. Afghans are skeptical about the Taliban's ability to bring internal order and establish positive relations with the international community. The US freezing Afghanistan's assets and suspending international aid resulted in a gradual deterioration of the country's economic situation. Initially, the Taliban unsuccessfully and ineptly tried to combine the expectations of their radical leaders with gaining support from global powers, hoping for financial help. In fact, one can currently observe a gradual reduction of civil rights and freedoms and the use of repression against political opponents. This clearly shows that, despite earlier fictitious gestures towards world opinion, the Taliban did not make a significant change of course. This confirms the fears of human rights defenders and experts that such a policy will significantly undermine the stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan.