Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Thomas Ruttig

The West Lives On in the Taliban’s Afghanistan

Palladium, 23 February 2023 An extensive reportage from Kabul, with some surprising findings of every-day life: In the bookstores of Kabul, at least, one can still find books by Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama; contraception and tobacco are available, and the Taliban has yet to regulate internet access like other Islamic governments. One can find gyms and restaurants […]

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3 Hut uprising marks first step against Soviet occupation’

Pajhwok News Agency, 22 February 2023 In this article marking the anniversary of the 3 Hut uprising (February 1980) against the Soviet occupiers in Kabul, AAN research by Thomas Ruttig is quoted: Thomas Rotig [sic], one of the founders of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, quoted one of the eyewitnesses as saying: “On the night of […]

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Afghan Taliban deny banning contraceptives

The National, 18 February 2023 Two Afghan journalists, Sulaiman Hakemy and Ali Latifi, have re-researched a story that made international headlines: the alleged Taleban ban of contraceptives for women. They found there is no such ban and even managed to get an official response from the Taleban: Dr Sharafat Zaman Amar, spokesman for the Taliban-run […]

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Taliban gegen Geburtenkontrolle

taz, 13 February 2023 Op-ed by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig about reports by Afghan exile media that the Taleban have banned women to purchase contraceptives (in German), coming to the conclusion that there is no sign on an official ban. He also quotes Taleban sources not opposing contraceptives in general and gives background on the (growing) […]

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Jihadi blues: Taliban bureaucrats lament office life, miss the old days of waging jihad

Washington Examiner, 6 February 2023 The Washington-based publication has summarised quotes from AAN’s latest report – interviews with five Taleban about how they experience Kabul after their takeover – into a short article.

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Frauenrechte in Afghanistan: Kein Zutritt für Studentinnen

taz, 30 January 2023 AAN’s Thomas Ruttig reports about the latest Taleban ban for Afghan female students, blocking them from all university entry exams (in German).

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Transcript of remarks by UNOCHA head Martin Griffiths

United Nations, 30 January 2023 Here the UNOCHA-distributed transcript of remarks by UNOCHA head Martin Griffiths, in which he admits that the UN has been continuing to carry out some humanitarian programmes after the Taleban’s ban for female NGO workers only employing men, which drew criticism from some NGOs and media.

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Wieder im Geschäft: China investiert im Afghanistan der Taliban – auch aus politischen Gründen

Jungle World, 26 January 2023 Op-ed by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig for the Berlin-based weekly newspaper on the context of China’s January 2023 oil deal with the Taleban (in German).

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Afghanistan Economic Monitor

World Bank, 25 January 2023 Afghanistan’s economy had a “positive” period in the last nine months of 2022, with reduced inflation, strong revenue collection, growing exports but still a trade deficit. The country’s currency remained stable against major currencies. Civil servants’ salaries are reported to be paid on time for both men and women.

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Wrestling with a Humanitarian Dilemma in Afghanistan

USIP, 25 January 2023 Former World Bank Afghanistan specialist Bill Byrd looks at one the current mot important policy matters: how to deal with the Taleban’s rejection to listen to any advice and keep lives-saving humanitarian work afloat in the middle of what he calls “an economic crisis for the entire country, one likely to […]

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Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Overview 2023 (January 2023)

UNOCHA, 23 January 2023 Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with a very real risk of systemic collapse and human catastrophe. In addition to unimaginable human costs, this humanitarian crisis is reversing many of the gains of the last 20 years, including around women’s rights. The end of the 20 year armed conflict between […]

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Afghanistan: Zäher Dialog mit den Taliban

Deutsche Welle, 21 January 2023 Extensive quotes of AAN’s Thomas Ruttig at the website of Germany’s foreign broadcaster on who has how much leverage, if at all, on the Taleban leadership (originally in German): It is necessary to talk to the Taliban, says Thomas Ruttig, co-founder of the independent think tank Afghanistan Analysts Network. Precisely […]

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