Menschenrechte: Taliban feiern Machtübernahme in Afghanistan vor fünf Jahren

Five years ago, on August 15, 2021, the Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan celebrated their seizure of power. Speaking at a ceremony in the capital Kabul, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki declared that the values and worldview of the Afghan government and nation were now in harmony. The state broadcaster RTA transmitted the ceremony, showcasing Taliban members throwing flowers onto Kabul from a military helicopter.

In the news footage, the Taliban flags bearing black letters on a white background were renewed in the capital, alongside parades and cars in other regions. Following the announcement of NATO and US troop withdrawal, the Taliban captured Kabul virtually unopposed on August 15. This was followed by chaotic conditions, including at the airport, as Western countries attempted to evacuate their personnel and Afghan employees.

Prior to this, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda on US targets, an international coalition waged war against the Taliban, who had previously ruled Afghanistan. They were accused of harboring Al-Qaeda. The US military alone suffered over 2,300 casualties in the war spanning nearly twenty years. The German military lost 59 soldiers.

The University of Brown estimated that over 46,000 civilians and almost 70,000 Afghan security forces were killed in the nearly two-decade-long conflict. Criticism of the German government's handling of the Taliban today is a matter of deep humanitarian crisis, with access to international aid severely limited even under Taliban rule.

The Islamists restrict freedom of expression and severely limit the rights and access to education for women and girls. Critics condemn the German government for not recognizing the Taliban on the grounds of their human rights violations, yet making practical concessions to enable deportations.