Five years under the Taliban: Meduza reports from Afghanistan, where a war on drugs and greater security have come with mass poverty, unemployment, and the loss of women’s rights

In August 2021, after the withdrawal of U.S. troops, the Taliban, an armed religious and political movement, seized power in Afghanistan. Active fighting has since ended, but life has hardly improved for many Afghans. The Taliban established a Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and severely curtailed women’s rights. The authorities also tried to block internet access nationwide and ban officials from using smartphones. At the same time, the Taliban declared war on drugs, specifically opium, and it appears to be waging that war quite successfully.