The Afghan capital of Kabul has fallen to the Taliban, as fighters marauded through the city, effectively sealing their control of the country. CJCS General Mark Milley noted that terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State could reconstitute in Afghanistan much sooner than expected. The Taliban seizing control …

The collapse of the US’s position in Afghanistan has limited read-across to its relations with its NATO and Asian allies. But it is a stark reminder of the constraints on the UK as a global power. This is a desperate time for the people of Afghanistan, as they await their …

There are several reasons for the collapse of the Afghan army, but a duplicitous US negotiation with the Taliban was the most potent, and the insurgents exploited the uncertainty brilliantly. President Joe Biden’s claim that the Afghan army ‘did not have the resolve’ to fight for its own country would …

Protests against Taliban rule in Afghanistan spread to several cities ahead of the first Friday prayers since the militant group took control last Sunday. In Kabul, around 200 people gathered at one protest on Thursday, the country’s independence day, before Taliban fighters dispersed them violently. Several people were killed in …

On Tuesday, Russian warplanes launched airstrikes on sites of Turkish-backed armed factions south and north of Idleb, northwest Syria. Russian Sukhoi Su-35 warplanes targeted armed factions’ fortifications in the vicinity of the Sheikh Bahr area, and the outskirts of the town of Mashon, located in the northern and the southern …

As climate change becomes more evident and droughts worsen, Balkan cities need to reduce the huge amount of water leaking each year from pipelines. Every day a woman went to a deep well in the middle of a vast meadow to fill her pots with water. The well had a …

In the past few days, hundreds of Afghan soldiers have sought refuge in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Several dozen helicopters and planes, formerly of the Afghan air force, fled the Taliban’s advance and landed in Uzbekistan. At the time of writing, almost 600 Afghan pilots and crews remain in the country. …

In 2020, India changed its foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations to allow investments of up to 74 per cent in the defence manufacturing sector under its automatic route, which was previously limited to 49 per cent. This is an important decision for a sector that is struggling to attract investment. …

Good afternoon, NATO Foreign Ministers have just met to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. What we have witnessed in recent days is a tragedy for the people of Afghanistan. The situation remains very difficult, and unpredictable. Ministers discussed a number of different issues. First, the continuing evacuation of people from …

In journalism proverb, Afghanistan is a convenient shelter, the writer’s fantasy island from topical issues at home. In the current deluge of news from that country, however, that proverb appears to have lost its meaning. There’s no need for escape to Afghanistan; the traffic is the other way, while Afghanistan’s …