Seventeen long years have gone by since the war against the Taliban ended. But peace has not returned. The Taliban regrouped, thanks to the unceasing support of Pakistan, and returned with vengeance in less than a year and have since managed to wreak havoc all over the country. Since 2014, the Islamic State has joined in to find a niche for itself as it faces stiff resistance and rout in West Asia. Since 2001, the total number of Afghans killed in war is a staggering 111,000. APRATIM MUKARJI explains what is wrong with Afghanistan
![Untying The Kabul Knot](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/152/299926/5b8a77bc73909/UNTYING-THE-KABUL-KNOT.jpg)
However, there are three distinctly new trends in the situation. The most significant of these is the people’s frustration and anger over the never-ending warfare and a devastated life they are being forced to live. This was manifest in a long march which common Afghans took out in early July covering 700 km. from the north to Kabul, demanding that the fighting be stopped by both the insurgents and the government and that peace negotiations begun. Peace activists in the march questioned the efficacy of the billion-dollar-worth international efforts to bring peace and reconstruction to the country.
However, the people’s search for peace and the government’s and the international players’ desperation to get the Taliban to the negotiating table underscores just one thing, and that is the unquestionable ascendancy of the Taliban in the intervening years since their ouster at the end of 2001. The fundamentalist force is now said to be controlling half of the country.
Bu hikaye Geopolitics dergisinin Sep-2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Geopolitics dergisinin Sep-2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
![TIME FOR A ROBUST BMD SHIELD](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/0pyISAmYb1718711628594/TIME-FOR-A-ROBUST-BMD-SHIELD.jpg)
TIME FOR A ROBUST BMD SHIELD
With nuclear-armed Pakistan and China in the neighbourhood, India must prepare ballistic missile defences at the earliest for protecting its densely populated cities
![URGENT NEED FOR SMART AND LETHAL WEAPONS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/G3Sgf-9181718975118787/URGENT-NEED-FOR-SMART-AND-LETHAL-WEAPONS.jpg)
URGENT NEED FOR SMART AND LETHAL WEAPONS
India must tread the path towards the development of a whole gamut of next-generation smart and lethal weapons for countering a two-front threat scenario, writes AMARTYA SINHA
![MOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR THE INDIAN ARMY](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/nW1DEBjA11718711301321/MOBILITY-SOLUTIONS-FOR-THE-INDIAN-ARMY.jpg)
MOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR THE INDIAN ARMY
While the Indian Army has a significantly large fleet of trucks and utility vehicles, there is a need to further augment the capabilities by adding latest platforms with better fuel-efficiency, faster speeds, larger wheelbases and enhanced axle-load bearing capacities, argues AMARTYA SINHA
![C-295 CREATING A MANUFACTURING BLUEPRINT FOR INDIA](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/mvbABwCqt1718710982806/C295-CREATING-A-MANUFACTURING-BLUEPRINT-FOR-INDIA.jpg)
C-295 CREATING A MANUFACTURING BLUEPRINT FOR INDIA
With the right momentum, a realistic roadmap and enabling policy framework, a story is being scripted to make India a hub for global aircraft manufacturing. The potential is enormous. An in-depth report.
![ENHANCING NAVAL AVIATION CAPABILITIES](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/nw6hCoD2x1718710351523/ENHANCING-NAVAL-AVIATION-CAPABILITIES.jpg)
ENHANCING NAVAL AVIATION CAPABILITIES
A robust Indian naval air arm will prove to be the biggest sea-based conventional deterrence, both for the tactical as well and strategic level battlefields.
![HAS THE WORLD FORGOTTEN THE PLIGHT OF THE AFGHAN WOMEN?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/E88gt1KAs1718708331883/HAS-THE-WORLD-FORGOTTEN-THE-PLIGHT-OF-THE-AFGHAN-WOMEN.jpg)
HAS THE WORLD FORGOTTEN THE PLIGHT OF THE AFGHAN WOMEN?
With the Taliban and command in Afghanistan, serious questions are being raised about the status of women in that country. GAYATRI SINGH dissects the situation on the ground.
![HOW TANKS ARE EVOLVING TO AVOID OBSOLESCENCE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/_1_qriv4A1718707709335/HOW-TANKS-ARE-EVOLVING-TO-AVOID-OBSOLESCENCE.jpg)
HOW TANKS ARE EVOLVING TO AVOID OBSOLESCENCE
Is the dominance of tanks in modern wars coming to an end? This question is increasingly attracting attention of the military experts as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the second Nagorno-Karabakh War between Armenia and Azerbaijan not long before have witnessed the staggering numbers of tanks being destroyed and outgunned, particularly by military drones.
![MISSION GAGANYAAN AFTER LOK SABHA POLLS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/jXX0jlWJM1718707141656/MISSION-GAGANYAAN-AFTER-LOK-SABHA-POLLS.jpg)
MISSION GAGANYAAN AFTER LOK SABHA POLLS
The Indian human spaceflight programme will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s biggest gift to the Indian scientific community.
![TIME TO GO FOR SIXTH-GENERATION AIRCRAFT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1737092/xkGgRKI--1718706000501/TIME-TO-GO-FOR-SIXTHGENERATION-AIRCRAFT.jpg)
TIME TO GO FOR SIXTH-GENERATION AIRCRAFT
With China racing ahead in 6th-Gen Fighter Aircraft Programme, India cannot afford to be left behind. AIR MARSHAL ANIL CHOPRA (RETD) explains
![Unending War In Ukraine](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/152/1694794/uSahMmmkr1715691288557/crp_UNENDING-WAR-IN-UKRAINE.jpg)
Unending War In Ukraine
Is Russia's War in Ukraine following a script or it is lost in direction? RAVI SRIVASTAVA attempts to answer