The Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan and Security Paradox

Abstract

After years of prolonged armed conflict and fighting with the United States and NATO, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, by overthrowing a 20-year-old republic system and declaring it an Islamic Emirate. Without a process that legitimised the Taliban’s power and ideological assertions, Afghanistan is now controlled by a militant group that operates out of a totalitarian ideology. A new version of security threats and concerns has been introduced. The question is, what kind of security issues will emerge under such circumstances, and how will these issues impact Afghanistan? This article provides an assessment of Afghanistan’s political and security situation under the current Taliban regime. While the recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan means different things to different people—and depends mainly on their social class within Afghan society or where they are from—the months since the Taliban took power have provided us with evidence of how they are operationalising their belief systems to run the country. It has also demonstrated how this has and will impact the safety and security of individuals, groups and Afghanistan as a whole. This article aims to explain how the Taliban’s fundamental ideology, networks, governance composition and nature will exacerbate the security crisis in Afghanistan and beyond. The article explores the theoretical framework of a totalitarian system to help understand the context of the Taliban’s political system. It then looks specifically at the resistance movement and the growing gender apartheid that the Taliban is reinstating. Finally, it dives into the meaning of security, its complexity, how it’s changing, and the implications it will have for Afghanistan and its people. The evidence for this analysis is based on events that had taken place through March 2022. It is important to emphasise that today’s circumstances and context will likely change and impact analysis for tomorrow. However, one thing has remained constant—the Taliban’s undergirding totalitarian framework and their ability to be tactical and strategic in how they present themselves.