Kawoon Khamoosh

Five years after the Taliban retook power in 2021, Afghanistan remains governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law that has sharply curtailed women’s education, employment, movement and access to justice. Accounts from officials and civilians show a gap between the Taliban’s promises of moderation and its continued restrictions, coercion and reluctance to discuss past violence. Taliban figures defend these policies as necessary under sharia, while critics argue that the restrictions deepen poverty, suppress dissent and prevent the country from developing. The report also highlights weak public services, economic instability and growing tensions between Taliban authorities and the population.

Five years after returning to power, the Taliban have consolidated control over Afghanistan while retaining many of the hard-line policies associated with their 1990s rule. Women remain excluded from much of the workforce, barred from universities and secondary schools, and subject to restrictions on movement and public life. BBC reporting from across the country shows former commanders and militants now serving as officials, often defending past violence and invoking Sharia to justify current policies. Cases involving domestic abuse and divorce illustrate the limited protection available to women, while journalists and protesters face intimidation. The government also struggles with poverty, unemployment, weak infrastructure and economic instability; the United Nations says three-quarters of the population cannot meet basic needs. Although some local figures call for education to reopen, the Taliban leadership continues to prioritize ideological control over political freedoms and broad social inclusion.

A BBC investigation examines life under Taliban rule five years after the group returned to power in Afghanistan. It documents restrictions on women's education, employment, movement and access to public life, as well as limits on media freedom. Interviews with Taliban officials and former fighters reveal their continuing commitment to strict interpretations of Islamic law and their reluctance to address past violence, including suicide attacks and the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. The report also highlights poverty, unemployment and weak infrastructure, while Afghan residents criticize the Taliban's governance and demand greater access to education, services and basic rights.

Five years after retaking power in 2021, the Taliban continues to govern Afghanistan through a strict interpretation of Sharia, despite earlier promises that women would be allowed to work and study. Women remain excluded from most workplaces and universities, barred from secondary education, restricted in travel and public life, and face major obstacles in obtaining divorce, as illustrated by the case of an abused 18-year-old woman whose request is dismissed by provincial governor Abdullah Sarhadi. The report also profiles former Taliban fighters who now hold government or security positions, including Sarhadi and Habibullah Badr, while documenting their reluctance to address past violence. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid defends restrictions on women and the press as necessary under Sharia. Public criticism is tightly controlled, journalists face questioning by Taliban intelligence, and dissenters risk detention. Alongside repression, poverty, unemployment, weak infrastructure and economic instability remain severe, fueling growing frustration among Afghans who view the Taliban itself as the country's central problem.

BBC reporting from Afghanistan examines how the Taliban exercise power five years after returning to government. A young woman seeking a divorce after alleged abuse faces pressure from Governor Abdullah Sarhadi and a court system that makes separation difficult without a husband's consent. Taliban officials defend restrictions on women's education, employment, movement and media freedom as requirements of Sharia, while former commanders now serving in government avoid accountability for past violence. The reporting also documents tighter controls in Kandahar, poverty, unemployment and unmet infrastructure needs, alongside growing frustration among women, journalists and some ordinary Afghans.

An extensive BBC investigation into five years of Taliban rule examines the movement's treatment of women, restrictions on education and media, control over officials and society, and the transition of former insurgents into government positions. A young woman seeking a divorce encounters discriminatory attitudes and a court system that makes separation difficult without her husband's consent. Taliban officials defend restrictions as necessary under Sharia, while avoiding accountability for past violence, including suicide attacks and the destruction of Bamiyan's Buddha statues. The report also documents tightened controls in Kandahar, widespread poverty and inadequate services, and growing frustration among women and other Afghans who believe the Taliban's policies are suppressing the country's future.