Inside Story

What does the Taliban’s return to power mean for Afghanistan?

After nearly 20 years, the Taliban is back in power in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is now under the full control of the Taliban.

It took the armed group less than 10 days to sweep across every province and all the way to the presidential palace in the capital, Kabul.

Its leadership says it wants peace and an inclusive government that is compatible with Islamic law. But many Afghans are sceptical.

So, what will that mean for the future of Afghanistan? And how are world powers reacting to this development?

Presenter: Kim Vinnell

Guests:

Shafiq Hamdam – former deputy senior adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and a former senior adviser to NATO in Afghanistan

Abdul Salam Zaeef – founding member of the Taliban and former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan

Peter Galbraith – former UN special envoy to Afghanistan