Taliban weaker than they look after 3 years in power

Chris Fitzgerald

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It has been three years since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan and the group is flying high, facing no legitimate challenge to its rule and courted by much of the international community.

The Taliban’s confidence was on full show celebrating the anniversary with a military parade that included fighter aircraft and weapons taken after the United States-led coalition hastily withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021. The display was a clear slap in Washington’s face.

The Taliban have also been able to build relationships with neighbors, a far cry from the group’s pariah status during its first stint in power. Chinese and Iranian diplomats attended the parade. Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov visited Kabul for high-level talks in August. This comes after China in January became the first country to officially host a Taliban envoy and after Beijing appointed its own ambassador to Kabul last December.

Trade has also increased, particularly with China. The Taliban and Chinese engineers officially broke ground in July at the Beijing-funded Aynak Mas mine, estimated to have the world’s second-largest deposit of copper. Chinese officials have also held several recent meetings with the Taliban, leading to hopes Afghanistan can join Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.