On 18th March 2024, Afghanistan's remote and southeastern Paktika province found itself subject to aerial bombardment. The airstrikes, carried out in the early hours of the morning, were conducted by Pakistani military planes from across the Durand Line. A statement soon released by Islamabad confirmed the airstrikes, claiming these were in respons…

In the second part of this two-segment conversation, Sayed asks Dr. Sarmast about his upbringing, the inspiration to build a music school for the most disadvantaged kids, and why the country's art scene was so prolific when he grew up during the second half of the 20th century. Guest: Ahmad Naser Sarmast Guest Host: Sayed Madadi Music copyright: Af…

In this two-part conversation, Sayed talks to Ahmad Naser Sarmast, the founding director of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, now based in Portugal. They discuss how the school ended up in Portugal, what the future holds for it, and the life of the man at the heart of it all. Guest: Ahmad Naser Sarmast Guest Host: Sayed Madadi © Musics: …

Qatar again has served as the location for Afghanistan-centred gatherings. As a UN-convened conference kicked off, representatives from different countries, international bodies as well as Afghan civil society gathered in Doha as part of what was supposed to be a discussion on how to transition Afghanistan out of its state of diplomatic and legal i…

Pakistan concluding fiercely contested elections amidst turmoil and mass claims of irregularities is only the latest development in an eventful 2024. The year has been similarly eventful for Afghanistan's foreign relations. On 29th January, the Taliban-led Afghan government organised an unprecedented conference in Kabul attended by the representati…

Sayed speaks with Malaiz Daud about non-violent movements in the Pashtun belt across Afghanistan-Pakistan borders. They discuss the historical resilience of movements such as PTM, their impact so far, and what it would take for Pashtuns in Afghanistan to mobilize is similar scale. Malaiz Daud, a PhD researcher in Germany, has been following social …

Amidst deteriorating relations between Kabul and Islamabad, news emerged on 18th December. The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan confirmed that an invitation had been extended to Pakistani politician Maulana Fazlur Rahman to visit Kabul. The visit, according to many sources, was intended to defuse tensions between the neighbours; Fazlur Rahman, an infl…

Sayed talks with climate and water expert Najibullah Sadid about climate change in Afghanistan, its socio-economic impacts, and potential policy interventions to address it. Najibullah Sadid, PhD, is an Associate Researcher at the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute in Germany. His work focuses on transboundary rivers and sustainab…

On 1st December 2023, the Taliban's ambassador was greeted by an official at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bilal Karimi formally presented his credentials to and was received by Hong Lei: the Director General of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Protocol Department. The picture was shared triumphantly by the Taliban on X (formerly known as …

Sayed talks with the author and historian, Dr. Waleed Ziad, about how complex Sufi networks in the Durrani empire connected south and Central Asia during the times of turmoil. The episode brings to the fore what these networks reveal about the region's past, particularly women authority, their role in society, and the politics of home-grown knowled…

On 24th November 2023, a conference was convened in the Russian capital of Moscow. Attendees included Russian politicians and an Iranian government representative. The conference was also attended by a number of exiled Afghan politicians: Shukria Barakzai, Fawzia Koofi, Muhammad Muhaqqiq, Ahmad Wali Massoud, and Ahmad Massoud. The event follows mon…

On 6th November 2023, senior and former American diplomat Annie Pforzheimer wrote an article for World Politics Review. In the article, Pforzheimer, who has previously worked extensively as an American diplomat in Afghanistan, highlighted the signs that the Biden Administration was mulling widening and upgrading its ties with the Taliban, now the g…

On 2nd October 2023, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti announced that illegal immigrants residing in the country would be given one month to return to their home countries. Whilst not explicitly aimed at Afghans, the majority of projected deportees, roughly numbering 1.73 million, would be Afghans. Since 1st November, with the passage of …

In this episode, we'll dive into Central Asia, a region teeming with enormous potential and global importance. Join us as we explore the ever-shifting geopolitical landscape, dissect the ramifications of the Ukraine conflict, and delve into the critical realm of energy and climate dynamics. Tune in for a deep and comprehensive discussion! KabulCast…

From his first arrival in Afghanistan days before the Soviets' withdrawal to his encounter with Osama bin Laden to his walk into Kabul with the Northern Alliance forces in November 2001, John Simpson shares his love for the country, its people, and his candid views on its current situation and future prospects. John Simpson reporting clip: ©️ BBC. …

Shaharzad Akbar is an activist, the Executive Director of Rawadari, and the former Chair of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. She reflects on her personal story, shares her thoughts on the current situation in Afghanistan, and discusses her hopes for the future of the country and its people. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Yakobi Ema…

Damon Wilson is the President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). In this interview, he talks about what inspired him to do what he does, reflections on what happened in Afghanistan, and the way ahead for its future. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Yakobi Email: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnow Support the Show.…

Robert Grenier is the former the CIA's Director of Counter-Terrorism Centre and Station Chief in Islamabad. After 911 attacks, the then Director of the CIA, George Tennet, tasked Grenier to formulate America's strategy on fighting the Taliban. Grenier is the author of 88 Days to Kandahar. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Yakobi Email: mail@kabulnow.…

Dr Hassan Abbas’s The Return of the Taliban gives an insight into the inner workings of the Taliban, its leaders and why they do what they do. From power rivalries to resettling thousands of Pakistani Taliban’s fighters in the north of Afghanistan, you will leave this episode informed and enlightened. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Yakobi Email: m…

Dr Sima Samar tells her incredible story. From a village in the central highlands of Hazarajat to studying medicine in Kabul University, to building hospitals and schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to becoming a government minister and championing human rights. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Yakobi Email: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnow Sup…

Kathy Gannon is a multi-award-winning Canadian journalist and author who has been reporting from Afghanistan since 1986. She was in Kabul during the civil war of the 1990s, present when the Taliban first captured the city in 1996, and witnessed them abandoning it in 2001. In 2014, Gannon was attacked and wounded in an attack in eastern Afghanistan,…

Sir Nick Kay is the former British Ambassador in Afghanistan, 2017 to 2019. He first traveled to the country in 1976 as an 18 year old tourist. Sir Nick was among the very small number of Western diplomats to visit Kandahar in 1995, and the first to arrive in Kabul days after the Taliban captured the city in 1996. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Ya…

In our first episode, we interview Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, and discuss his views on the state of human rights under the Taliban and the group's abuses. From his early life in New Zealand to swimming in Bamiyan's Band-e-Amir lake, we also delve into his personal stories. KabulCast by KabulNow Host: Roh Yakobi Email…

In the beginning of April 2023, the Taliban notified the United Nation mission in Afghanistan that Afghan women are no longer permitted to work for the U.N. There are approximately 400 Afghan women who work for the U.N mission in Afghanistan. This decision was condemned by the international community and the U.N. is currently assessing whether to c…

A flurry of diplomatic activity over the past months has seen Afghan embassies and consulates in Iran and the UAE handed over to the new Afghan Taliban government. As this diplomatic momentum increases, reports circulate that Tajikistan, initially hostile to the Taliban government, is poised to follow suit and submit control of Afghan consular prem…

In this episode of The Afghan Eye podcast, Sangar hosts Jeff Rigsby. Jeff Rigsby was a US military contractor and aid worker during the occupation who is currently living in Afghanistan. Jeff sheds light in the lack of transparency in the Western NGO industry and details his experiences as an American living in the new, post-occupation, and Taliban…

What is liberalism? What makes liberalism an aggressive ideology that motivates the militarism of Western states? How can dissecting liberalism help us understand the American occupation of Afghanistan? To answer these questions further, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar dive into The Great Delusion by the renowned political scientist Dr. John J. Mearsheimer…

The Afghan Eye is back! In 2023's first episode, Sangar interviews Ahmed-Waleed on his recent article on the history and legacy of politicised education in Afghanistan. Amidst increasing Taliban restrictions on Afghan women's right to work and a ban on female secondary and university education, the duo discuss predictions for the directions that co…

This episode of The Afghan Brief focuses on the three day long 'Scholar's Conference' gathered by the Taliban in Kabul and its 11-point Declaration. Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss the assembly's Declaration, its lack of political inclusivity and the Declaration's reference to women's rights and modern education. and analyse why it wasn't labelled,…

Who is to blame for the current diplomatic deadlock between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the West? Have the Taliban really changed? Is there such thing as Taliban 2.0? If so, how and why is it different from Taliban 1.0? To discuss these questions and more, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar hosts former humanitarian aid worker Cathal Ó Gabhann (@AnOGabh…

In the third episode of The Afghan Brief, the latest issue of national significance from Afghanistan is discussed. Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed dissect the convening of a grand assembly of three thousand religious scholars and tribal elders from across Afghanistan. They analyse the name given to the gathering, the ambiguity surrounding its stated purpos…

In the second episode of The Afghan Brief, Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed discuss ongoing rescue efforts by the Afghan government and the international reaction to a devastating earthquake in Afghanistan's southeast Loya Paktia region. They also discuss the crippling constraints posed by continued US sanctions on Afghanistan, as well as the earthquake's p…

On the first ever episode of The Afghan Brief, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar cover the latest news coming out of Afghanistan, including a travel ban on two officials of the Afghan government. They also discuss signs of seemingly warming ties between Westminster and Kabul. Support the Show. ♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.p…

What the Afghan national identity? Where does nationalism and ethno-nationalism come from? How should we interpret the call for partition by some fringe groups online? In this episode, host Sangar Paykhar and Historian Ahmed-Waleed Kakar attempt to answer all these questions. Support the Show. ♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: htt…

Gulmakai Saleh: https://gulmakai.com/ https://twitter.com/GulmakaiSaleh https://www.youtube.com/user/gulmakai https://www.instagram.com/gulmakaisaleh/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gulmakai-saleh-937a82a3/ https://www.facebook.com/GulmakaiSaleh/ Support the Show. ♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afgh…

After the fall of the previous regime on 15 August, the Taliban are now the de facto government of Afghanistan. Sangar Paykhar spoke to professor Ashok Swain about the prospects of a government led by the Taliban. Ashok Swain is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research, UNESCO Chair of International Water Cooperation, and the Director of Research…

Ahmed-Waleed Kakar & Sangar Paykhar discuss the subsequent fall of provincial capitals in Northern Afghanistan, the UN Security Council discussion about Aghanistan, the demand from Kabul to sanction Pakistan and Sun Tzu's the Art of War's application to current situation in Afghanistan. Support the Show. ♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ …

Habib Wardak is a political analyst who graduated with an MA in Defence and Strategic Studies from the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies in the University of Pune. He worked as a lecturer at Kardan University's Department of International Relations and has extensive experience working with the international community in Afghanistan. Most …

In the 25th episode of The Afghan Eye Podcast, Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed host Fatima Ayub: a senior political analyst with over two decades of experience working on Afghanistan in organisations like Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group and the European Council for Foreign Relations. Sangar asks Fatima about what drove her, as an Afghan woma…

On April 28th 1978, Afghanistan witnessed the Saur Revolution. The Saur Revolution was the name given to the communist coup d'etat launched against Afghanistan's first President: Sardar Muhammad Daud Khan, who was killed alongside 20 of his family members. The Saur Revolution inaugurated a dark period of Afghan history, plunging the country into a …

Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed host Dr. William Ruger: Research Fellow at the Cato Institute and Vice President for Research and Policy at the Charles Koch Institute. Dr. Ruger was President Trump's nominee for US Ambassador to Afghanistan and was also recently published in NYT with an op-ed titled ‘Why President Biden Must Withdraw From Afghanistan’. Dr.…

The founder of the Afghan Eye: Ahmed-Waleed Kakar, recently published his seminal article on the Durand Line. Within just a week, the article became the most read article on The Afghan Eye website, receiving widespread praise from all quarters and from all around the world. In this episode, Sangar hosts Ahmed-Waleed, asking about some of the critic…

On 3rd February 2021, the Afghanistan Study Group published a report recommending the Biden administration to keep US troops in Afghanistan past the May deadline. This will effectively violate the US-Taliban Agreement signed in February 2020. Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar scrutinize the report, its key arguments, the implications of its sug…

Afghan photographer and journalist Lynzy Billing reports from Afghanistan and Iraq. Her most recent scoop was about a Taliban attack on Camp Chapman, a CIA base in Khost province of Afghanistan. Lynzy, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss the way Afghanistan is being covered by local and international news organizations, the role of Afghan women in medi…

In this episode, we are reviewing Barnett Rubin's latest book. Our guest is Suzanne Schroeder, an independent researcher on Afghanistan. Dr. Barnett R. Rubin's book is titled: ‘Afghanistan: What Everyone Needs to Know’. This episode contains a song based on Quincy Jones titled 'Back on the block'. UMG (on behalf of Universal Music Enterprises); War…

Hamid Helmandi, a specialist in urban development and agriculture, was the cofounder of the First Afghanistan Construction Company along with the family members of former president Hamid Karzai. Helmandi tells his story of being involved in a state of the art urban development project called Ayno Mina in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province. Be…

King Amanullah Khan is hailed by many for his reforms and his progressiveness. Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar take a closer look at Amanullah Khan's reforms and how they have led to the downfall of his reign in 1929. ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afgeyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com…

In this episode of the Afghan Eye Podcast, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar comment on president Ashraf Ghani's announcement of holding a Consultative Loya Jirga to discuss the issue of the last 400 Talib prisoners pending release as per US-Taliban Peace Agreement. They firstly break down what a Jirga actually is, the role it has played in the evolution of …

In this episode, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar are hosting Amina Khan. She is the Director Centre for Middle East & Africa (CMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI), Islamabad, where she oversees research and advocacy-related work on all facets of CMEA. Prior to this, she served as a Research Fellow and a Senior Research Fellow at…

Our guest in this episode is Nikko Norte. He a former member of the Dutch Commando Corps served in Afghanistan as part of the Dutch mission in Uruzgan province. Nikko Norte has recently published a book in Dutch about his experience in Afghanistan titled 'Onvoorspelbaar Verleden'. The title translated into English is 'Unpredictable Past'. Nikko Nor…