Afghanistan
Between Iran and a Hard Place
As Afghans travel across the Islam Qala border crossing, they are trading one form of desperation for another, leaving behind discrimination and economic survival in Iran for a homeland that offers little hope, especially for women and girls.
Kabul Wakes to Jets
Pakistan’s strikes on Afghanistan are spreading from contested border areas to the cities, and Afghans are uniting in response.
What the Epstein Files Reveal About How Elites Operate
Sarah Chayes and Emran Feroz join Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss the Epstein files, transnational networks of kleptocracy from Afghanistan to Washington, and what elites do when they think we’re not watching.
How an Afghan Commando Brought America’s Shadow War to Washington
An elite Afghan commando trained by the CIA ended up opening fire near the White House. An interview with a former national security adviser under the Afghan republic lays bare the parallel state the U.S. built and then abandoned, which helped to forge the shooter’s path.
Pakistan Is Quietly Shopping for New Proxies in Afghanistan
As Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban deteriorates, Islamabad is discreetly courting Afghan opposition groups in search of a new ally. Interviews with figures such as Yasin Zia and Ahmad Massoud reveal how Pakistan’s Afghan policy is shifting — and why a cycle of proxy politics may be doomed to repeat itself.
Lyse Doucet Offers an Alternative History of Afghanistan
Veteran BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet joins New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai to discuss her new book on Afghanistan, “The Finest Hotel in Kabul.”
War May Be Over, but Afghanistan’s Hospitals Are Still in Crisis
While fighting no longer rages in Afghanistan, its medical professionals still face constant emergencies. Once overwhelmed by the pace and brutality of battlefield trauma, they are now adapting to new but equally formidable demands as the social fabric frays under Taliban rule.