Author: Tobias Matern

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Taliban officials break up a women's demonstration in Kabul (photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP)

Afghanistan under the Taliban

Back to the past

One year ago the Taliban returned to power, seizing Kabul; the U.S. and its allies made a panicked exit from the country. Of all the books written on the subject, four stand out from the crowd. By Tobias MaternMore

The Longest War – 20 years of the "War on Terror": Emran Feroz' chronology of a disasterA year of the Taliban: Afghanistan in free fallAfghanistan expert Ahmed Rashid: "The Americans were completely devoid of any strategy"
The renowned Taliban expert Ahmed Rashid (photo: ZUMA Press/imago images)

Interview with Afghanistan expert Ahmed Rashid

"The Americans were completely devoid of any strategy"

The West is pulling out of Afghanistan after 20 years, but the conflict remains – and the Taliban are stronger than they have been for a long time. And now? The renowned Taliban expert Ahmed Rashid talks to Tobias Matern about mistakes made by the West and the future role of the Taliban in AfghanistanMore

U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan: Joe Biden and the West's betrayal of the Hindu KushU.S. and NATO withdraw from "the forever war": What we should all know about AfghanistanInterview with Afghanistan expert Thomas Ruttig: "The violence threshold is low"
Afghan comedian Asif Jalali (photo: Shabkhand Show)

Afghan Comedian Asif Jalali

Wit at a Time of War

According to Afghan comedian and TV star Asif Jalali, it is much easier to make people in Afghanistan cry than it is to make them laugh. In his TV show he sets out to do the latter, with great success. By Tobias MaternMore

Stand-up Comedy in Dubai: Clean Humour for the Arab WorldInterview with Omid Djalili: Jokes about the Jewish Muslim Love-Hate RelationshipHumour in the West Bank: "I Laugh, Therefore I Am"The Iranian Filmmaker Kamal Tabrizi: Should One Be Allowed to Laugh at Mullahs?Humour in the Islamic World: Digging at the DespotsKaya Yanar: "What you lookin' at?"