Taliban Mark Five Years in Power as Afghanistan Faces Crisis
Taliban mark five years in power as Afghanistan faces a growing humanitarian crisis, restrictions on women and girls, security concerns and regional tensions.
Raja Awais Ali
8/15/20263 min read
Taliban Mark Five Years in Power as Afghanistan Faces Deepening Crisis
The Taliban marked five years in power in Afghanistan on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with celebrations and a military-style parade in Kabul as international aid and human rights organizations warned that the country continues to face serious humanitarian and social problems.
Taliban armored vehicles took part in a parade outside the former U.S. embassy in Kabul, displaying Taliban flags and banners. The government described the anniversary as a “victory day” marking the end of Western domination in Afghanistan.
Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani said in a video address that the group's return to power was achieved through morale, courage and divine assistance. He also acknowledged that problems and challenges still remained in the country.
Five years after the Taliban returned to power following the withdrawal of the United States and its allies, Afghanistan continues to face major humanitarian needs. International organizations and the United Nations have warned about the effects of drought, deadly earthquakes, economic hardship and falling foreign aid.
The situation of women and girls remains one of the biggest international concerns. According to UNESCO, around 2.5 million girls and women have been barred from secondary schools and universities since the Taliban returned to power. Women have also faced severe restrictions on movement and participation in public life.
Data released by U.N. Women showed that around half of Afghan women now leave their homes only once or twice a month. The Taliban says women's rights are respected under Islamic sharia law, while international rights organizations continue to criticize the restrictions on education, employment and freedom of movement.
When the Taliban returned to Kabul in 2021, the group promised to govern differently from its previous rule in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That earlier period was associated with public executions, severe restrictions and the sheltering of Osama bin Laden, while the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas drew widespread international condemnation.
The Taliban government remains largely unrecognized internationally. Russia is the only country that has formally recognized the government. Even without broad diplomatic recognition, however, the Taliban have developed working relations with several countries and are seeking greater economic and diplomatic engagement.
Relations with Pakistan, once one of the Taliban's most important regional relationships, have become increasingly tense. Islamabad accuses Kabul of supporting or allowing Pakistani insurgents to operate from Afghan territory, making security a major point of disagreement between the neighboring countries.
The Taliban are also trying to expand economic ties by using Afghanistan's location at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. Kabul has been seeking arrangements with European countries that are looking for ways to return Afghans, while also pursuing wider regional economic links.
Taliban Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal said ceremonies marking the government's fifth anniversary were expected in Pakistan, China, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey and Malaysia.
Inside Afghanistan, however, the humanitarian situation remains a major concern. The International Rescue Committee warned on Friday that humanitarian needs had reached a record level. The crisis has been driven by drought, the effects of deadly earthquakes and the deportation of Afghans from neighboring Iran and Pakistan.
The committee said that the number of Afghans needing humanitarian assistance has increased by 3.5 million people since 2021, while foreign aid budgets have declined. The combination of rising needs and reduced funding has placed additional pressure on humanitarian organizations and vulnerable families.
Afghanistan is also facing continued security concerns. In recent weeks, key Taliban officials in the northeast have been targeted in attacks. In late July, the Taliban's information director in Badakhshan province was killed in an attack later claimed by Islamic State. The mayor of the provincial capital was also killed in an attack on Thursday, according to local media reports. Taliban officials had not immediately confirmed the reports.
The country's humanitarian crisis is particularly difficult for women who have lost access to employment. Fatima, a 28-year-old Afghan woman, left Afghanistan for Iran after the Taliban returned to power so she could continue working as a makeup artist, a profession restricted for women in Afghanistan.
She was expelled from Iran and deported to Afghanistan in 2025. Since returning, she has struggled to support herself and her child. She said she wakes up each morning worried about meeting basic living expenses and goes to sleep concerned about her child's future.
U.N. officials have stressed that lasting peace and prosperity require more than an end to armed conflict. Afghanistan's long-term future also depends on whether people can access their rights and opportunities while the country deals with humanitarian needs, economic pressure and security challenges.
Five years after the Taliban's return to Kabul, the government continues to demonstrate firm control over Afghanistan and is working to expand regional and diplomatic ties. But the country remains under significant pressure from rising humanitarian needs, restrictions on women and girls, security threats and strained relations with neighboring countries.
The fifth anniversary therefore comes with a sharp contrast between the Taliban's celebration of its return to power and the continuing difficulties faced by millions of Afghans. The future of the country will depend on how the Taliban government responds to those challenges while seeking greater economic stability and international engagement.
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