The Taliban’s Takeover in Afghanistan

After almost twenty years of military presence by the western world in Afghanistan and armed resistance against illegitimate powers taking control, the rapid withdrawal of international troops in 2021 coincided with the takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The media coverage and international policy discussions shed light on the looming humanitarian crisis, the worsened economic situation and the deteriorating human rights situation. To date, however, there has been insufficient discussion of the security threats that emerged in the wake of the Taliban takeover. This is especially the case with the multiple types of threats posed by terrorism. Since developments in Afghanistan had a major impact on different levels of the terrorist threat potential, an analysis of respective processes is necessary. 

The focus of this book is on the internal situation in Afghanistan, including a historical outline of the Taliban and an analysis of the strongest faction in the Taliban regime, the Haqqani Network, as well as the Islamic State Khorasan Province. The publication then addresses the external threats:  The regional and international financial risks, the Foreign Fighters aspect, the effects on global terrorist groups, and the changing relations between the Taliban and Iran. By looking at the European counterterrorism architecture, the work closes with possible implications of the Taliban’s Takeover and needed measurements for the European Union.

Read the entire publication "The Taliban's Takeover in Afghanistan: Effects on Global Jihad" here as a PDF.