More than 120,000 people were airlifted out of Afghanistan last August, most with just a few hours to gather their belongings. Here are some of the keepsakes they chose.
Tag Archives: Ghani, Ashraf
Ashraf Ghani, Former Afghan President, Says He Fled Nation to ‘Save Kabul’
In his first interview since escaping Afghanistan as the Taliban advanced on the capital, Ashraf Ghani defended himself against charges that he abandoned his country in its hour of need.
An Afghan Official Laments What Was Lost and Looks to What Lies Ahead
Ahmad Nader Nadery spent decades working toward a thriving, free Afghanistan. Watching the Taliban undo much of his work, he wonders how to move forward.
Inside the Fall of Kabul: An On-the-Ground Account
Against all predictions, the Taliban took the Afghan capital in a matter of hours. This is the story of why and what came after, by a reporter and photographer who witnessed it all.
Zalmay Khalilzad Battles Critics in U.S. and Afghanistan
Zalmay Khalilzad, who stepped down as the envoy for Afghanistan after the U.S. exit, has defended the deal he negotiated with the Taliban during the Trump administration.
Afghan Art Flourished for 20 Years. Can It Survive the New Taliban Regime?
So far, the Taliban have not banned art outright. But many artists have fled Afghanistan, fearing for their work and their lives.
Restoration of Kabul’s Closed Airport Begins as Some Afghan Aid Resumes
Despite the Taliban’s effort to project themselves as responsible stewards after seizing power, there was still no word on when a new government would be announced.
As the Taliban Tighten Their Grip, Fears of Retribution Grow
Taliban leaders have promised amnesty to Afghan officials and soldiers, but there are increasing reports of detentions, disappearances and even executions.
A Journey Through Kabul, Afghanistan on the Day of the Fall
A Times correspondent who grew up in the Afghan capital returned before the Taliban’s victory, taking in the end of one era and the fearful start of another.
A Journey Through Kabul on the Day of the Fall
A Times correspondent who grew up in the Afghan capital returned before the Taliban’s victory, taking in the end of one era and the fearful start of another.
The Afghan Army Collapsed Against the Taliban. Here’s Why.
It pains me to see President Biden and other Western officials blame the Afghan Army for collapsing but not mention why that happened.
How the U.S. Informed a Crisis in Afghanistan
President Biden promised an orderly withdrawal. That pledge, compounded by missed signals and miscalculations, proved impossible.
America Lost Patience in Afghanistan. The Taliban Swooped In.
The American disaster in Afghanistan that Biden’s impatience brought about is not a disaster just for us. It’s a huge boost for the Taliban too.
First Resistance to Taliban Rule Tests Afghanistan’s Uncertain Future
While the militants appear firmly in control, some prominent figures vowed to continue resistance as protests erupted in two cities and millions of Afghans parsed clues about the Taliban’s intentions.
For US, and Afghanistan, the Post-9/11 Era Ends Painfully
The desperate scenes at the Kabul airport will now give Afghanistan a place in America’s national memory as another failed attempt to reshape a far-off land.
Kabul’s Sudden Fall to Taliban Ends U.S. Era in Afghanistan
A takeover of the entire country was all but absolute as the Afghan government collapsed and the U.S. rushed through a frenzied evacuation.
Biden Forecefully Defends U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan
The president insisted that the United States had done more than enough to empower the Afghan police and military to secure the future of their people.
As Afghanistan Forces Crumble, an Air of Unreality Grips the Capital
With the Taliban advancing and U.S. troops leaving, President Ashraf Ghani and his aides have become increasingly insular, and Kabul is slipping into shock.
Multi-Sided Civil War Could Grip Afghanistan, U.S. General Warns
“Civil war is certainly a path that can be visualized,” said Gen. Austin S. Miller, commander of the U.S.-led forces. “That should be a concern for the world.”
Biden Says Afghans Must ‘Decide Their Future’ as U.S. Troops Withdraw
Mr. Biden told President Ashraf Ghani that the United States would still offer security assistance, as well as diplomatic and humanitarian aid.
Biden to Meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
The two leaders discussed ways to help Afghanistan fight a violent insurgency as American and international troops withdraw.
Pakistan’s Imran Khan Talks About U.S. Ties, Afghanistan
Pakistan’s prime minister on Afghanistan, India and the future of the relationship with America.
Taliban Enter Key Cities in Afghanistan’s North After Swift Offensive
The setbacks come at a harrowing moment for Afghanistan, just as American and international troops are set to leave the country in coming weeks.
A Fragile Ceasefire Lets Afghans Risk Travel for Eid
A 3-day cease-fire is violated, but Afghans brave dangerous roads to celebrate a holiday with families.
The Afghanistan War Will End as It Began: In Blood
Afghan Blast on Eve of U.S. Pullout Deadline Kills at Least 27
If the blast was the work of the Taliban, as the Afghan government asserts, it would be the most overt signal yet that the peace deal is off.
The End of the United States’ Forever War
A new book about the Pech Valley in Afghanistan’s violent east offers poignant lessons as the Biden administration announces plans to withdraw all troops.
Here Are The Crucial Questions for Afghanistan as the US Withdraws Troops
What will happen to women and minorities? Can the Afghan president hold on to power? These and other pressing questions face a fearful country as the United States military withdraws.
Afghans Wonder ‘What About Me?’ as US Troops Prepare to Withdraw
Many Afghans fear that without the umbrella of American protection, the country will be unable to preserve its modest gains toward democracy and women’s rights.
Biden to Withdraw All Combat Troops From Afghanistan by Sept. 11
After years of arguing against an extended military presence in Afghanistan, President Biden is doing things his way, with the deadline for withdrawal set for the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan’s President, Has Little Sway Over Its Future
Ashraf Ghani has few remaining allies, the Taliban are gaining militarily, and his international supporters are impatient with him and the stumbling peace process.
The Taliban Think They Have Already Won, Peace Deal or Not
“We have defeated the enemy.” The international community is scrambling to secure peace in Afghanistan, but the Taliban believe they have the upper hand — and are saying as much.
U.S. Defense Secretary Makes Secret Visit to Afghanistan
The trip makes Lloyd J. Austin III the first member of President Biden’s cabinet to visit the country. He met with the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani.
At Least 9 Dead in Afghan Helicopter Crash, After Clashes With Local Militia
The crash occurred in eastern Afghanistan, where security and militia forces have been in a tense, and sometimes violent, standoff since January.
U.S. Has 1,000 More Troops in Afghanistan Than It Disclosed
The undercount complicates President Biden’s decision on carrying out a complete withdrawal by May 1, as his administration tries to jump-start peace talks.
U.S. Pushes U.N.-Led Peace Conference in Letter to Afghan Leader
In blunt terms, Secretary of State Antony Blinken seeks to jump-start stalled negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Afghan Government Backs Repatriation of Guantánamo Detainee
Afghanistan has intervened in U.S. federal court seeking the return of an Afghan prisoner who has been held since 2007, but never charged.
Afghan Government Backs Repatriation of Guantánamo Detainee
Afghanistan has intervened in U.S. federal court seeking the return of an Afghan prisoner who has been held since 2007, but never charged.
Inside the Shadowy Militias Luring Unsuspecting Afghans to Fight, or Die
Afghanistan’s poor are being deceived into defending outposts from the Taliban, sometimes under the guise of construction work — a scheme partially bankrolled by the government.
Afghan Leaders Sideline Spokesmen in an Escalating Misinformation War
The Ghani administration and the Taliban are fighting a public-relations battle, with the government taking more drastic measures to control the flow of information.
Afghan and Taliban Negotiators Agree on Peace Talks’ Procedures
Afghan government and Taliban officials said they had finalized the terms to guide future talks, opening the door to a new phase of negotiations toward a long-term peace.
Afghan Leader Digs In on Peace Talks Despite Progress, Officials Say
President Ashraf Ghani is holding up a tentative agreement on the talks’ framework, some officials say. His aides say no agreement was near.
Deadly Bombing Shatters an Afghan Haven From War
While international donors gather in Geneva to discuss a reduced aid package to Afghanistan, intense violence has Afghan officials pleading for continued assistance.
String of Attacks Have People in Kabul Pointing a Finger, at the Government
The assaults not only highlight a city under siege, they have exposed a growing, and very public, discontent with an Afghan government unable to protect its people.
An Afghan Mayor Expected to Die. Instead, She Lost Her Father.
Zarifa Ghafari, one of the few female mayors in Afghanistan, has been subjected to death threats and assassination attempts, and believes her father was gunned down because of her.
How an Afghan Political Crisis Derailed Payments to War Victims
Sometimes money is the only form of justice for those who lost loved ones in Afghanistan’s unending war.
A Storied Female Warlord Surrenders, Taliban Say, Exposing Afghan Weakness
She was undefeated in decades of war, but her decision was an act of survival. A government that has come to depend on unreliable militias finds itself vulnerable.
An Afghan Boy’s Rape and Death Prompt a Rare Response: Arrests
Villagers confronted officials, and seven police officers are now in jail, in a rare official action to investigate child sexual abuse accusations in Afghanistan.
Whose Islam? The New Battle for Afghanistan
Finding common ground on the role of Islam is the most decisive task in the peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
In Proud Corners of Afghanistan, New Calls for Autonomy
In Panjshir, one of the last holdout regions against the Soviets and the Taliban, some would prefer to go their own way rather than support a government negotiating peace with the insurgency.