Afghanistan Marks Five Years Under Taliban Rule Amidst Growing International Engagement and Human Rights Concerns

Five years after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the country faces a complex reality marked by increasing international engagement with the regime and severe restrictions on women's rights. Despite systematic human rights abuses, several regional and international powers are renewing or scaling up diplomatic ties with the hardline Islamists, a move that has raised concerns among campaigners who fear it undermines demands for human rights improvements. The Taliban, meanwhile, are actively pursuing an end to their international isolation and have even called on the U.S. to reopen its embassy and invest in the country, a prospect deemed unlikely by analysts.