Taliban takeover: how’s life in Afghanistan changed three years on?

It has been three years since the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan just 10 days after the US and NATO forces withdrew from the country in August 2021, following two decades of war. Today, the Taliban’s white flag flies above the province of Helmand as the militant group plans to celebrate the anniversary and freedom from the West. Meanwhile, many Afghans continue to adjust to the new and stricter regime, or to new lives elsewhere after fleeing the country as the Taliban seized power. For those still in Afghanistan, rights and freedoms have been stripped, the economy is in turmoil, and basic services are limited. For the millions who fled and are now scattered across the world, the future remains uncertain. In this report The Standard looks back at the militant group’s rise to power, and where Afghans stand following the chaos of October 7, 2021. Subscribe to the Evening Standard: for latest breaking news fro