Afghanistan
‘I Will Not Forgive’: Survivor of School Exam Blast Says She’ll Keep Learning
A survivor of a suicide bomb in an exam hall full of young students near Kabul tells VICE World News that the horrific attack has made her more determined to succeed.
‘Pablo Escobar of Heroin’ Released in US Prisoner Exchange
Afghan drug lord Bashir Noorzai was given a hero’s welcome by the Taliban after a prisoner swap that saw US hostage Mark Frerichs freed.
Watch the Taliban Crash a Black Hawk Helicopter in Afghanistan
The U.S. left behind a wealth of military equipment when it left Afghanistan. That doesn’t mean the Taliban knows how to use it.
Some Girls Were Allowed to Return to School in Afghanistan – for 3 Days
Dozens of girls protested after their brief return to education was cut short by local Taliban leaders.
Hundreds of Pets Got Out of Afghanistan. Their Rescuers Didn’t.
More than 100 veterinarians and animal shelter volunteers are still hiding in Afghanistan or a third country, waiting for U.S. visas. One vet was killed in Kabul in July.
ISIS-K Is Stepping Up Its Brutal Attacks Against the Taliban
Islamic State’s Afghan affiliate is demonstrating the limitations of the Taliban’s counter-terrorism capacity as it targets the group’s senior leaders.
The Armed Resistance Against the Taliban Is Still Here
The Taliban say they don’t exist, but small groups of loosely linked resistance fighters still operate across Afghanistan and beyond.
‘I Was on a Kill List’: Queer Afghans Say They’re Being Hunted and Tortured
“The Taliban regime is truly the dark ages for Afghan LGBTQ people,” a 21-year-old gay artist in Kabul said.
Afghanistan’s First Ultramarathon Runner Is Still Running From the Taliban
26-year-old Ayat blazed a trail for women runners in Afghanistan, but a year after the Taliban’s return to power, she’s been unable to find a new permanent home for herself or her family.
Is China Replacing the US in Afghanistan? A Reality Check.
Some small-time Chinese entrepreneurs are thriving in Afghanistan, but state-backed mining and infrastructure projects are still in talks.
‘They Can’t Overcome This’: Why The Taliban Can’t Agree On Anything
A year after they seized power, the Taliban is plagued by internal arguments about what an Islamic government in Afghanistan should look like, and girls’ education is the biggest casualty.
Powerful Photos That Defined the Taliban’s Return in Afghanistan
The Taliban's swift takeover of Kabul following the collapse of the Afghan government last August sparked a humanitarian crisis as thousands attempted to flee.