Kandahar’s public radio station was seized by the Taliban on Saturday after they grabbed much of southern Afghanistan in a fast-moving offensive that has raised fears of a full takeover two weeks before US troops are due to leave.
During the release of a Taliban video, an unnamed insurgent announced that the main radio station of the city had been taken over by the Taliban and renamed it ‘The Voice of Sharia’. In addition to news, political analysis, and recitations of the Quran, the Islamic holy book, all workers were on hand. It appears that the station will no longer play music. Taliban employees were not clear whether they had been purged or allowed to return to work. Most Kandahar residents wear traditional Taliban clothing. In the video, the man congratulated the people of Kandahar on the Taliban’s victory.
Although the Taliban have operated mobile radio stations over the years, they haven’t operated a station inside a major city since they ruled the country from 1996-2001. From Kandahar, the birthplace of the militant group, they also operated a station called Voice of Sharia. It was banned to play music. US troops invaded after the 9/11 attacks, which Al Qaida planned and completed while being protected by the Taliban. Having swiftly ousted the Taliban, the US focused on nation-building, hoping to create a modern Afghan state after decades of war and unrest.
In recent weeks, the Taliban have taken control of most of northern, western, and southern Afghanistan, leaving the Western-backed government in control of a few provinces in the centre and east, as well as Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif in the north. After the withdrawal of foreign forces and the swift retreat of Afghan troops, despite hundreds of billions of dollars in US aid, fears that the Taliban might return to power or the country could fall into civil war have grown.
Marines from a contingent of 3,000 arrived on Friday to assist with the partial evacuation of the US Embassy. Their arrival has raised questions about whether the administration will meet its August 31 withdrawal deadline. Joe Biden announced earlier this year that all US troops will be withdrawn by the end of August, pledging to end America’s longest war. Former President Donald Trump had reached an agreement with the Taliban to set up a US withdrawal.
President Joe Biden’s announcement set in motion the latest offensive. Having seized control of much of the countryside for years, the Taliban moved quickly to seize provincial capitals, border crossings and other key infrastructure. They are now within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of Kabul. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes, many fearing a return to the oppressive rule of the Taliban. Previously, the group governed Afghanistan under a harsh version of Islamic law in which women were largely kept at home.
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