1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
PoliticsAfghanistan

Taliban Victory: A Return to Terror?

August 19, 2021

The Taliban seize power in Afghanistan. What does the radical Islamists’ victory mean for the country and the wider region? Our guests: Jessica Berlin (Political Analyst) and Ahmad Wali Achakzai (DW), Andrew Gilmour (Berghof Foundation)

https://p.dw.com/p/3zAiv
To the point D+E | Jessica Berlin
Image: DW

Jessica Berlin is founder of CoStruct, a strategic consultancy for sustainable business and policy innovation. She has worked for the US government and for German development cooperation in Afghanistan. She says: “ 20 years of war on terror in Afghanistan may have created more terrorists than it defeated.”

To the point E | Andrew Gilmour
Image: DW


Andrew Gilmour heads the peace building organization Berghof Foundation, which has been working to promote dialogue between the different parties in Afghanistan. He believes: “The international community needs to talk with the Taliban, and encourage positive behaviour. A rejection of dialogue would be counter-productive.” 

To the point E | Ahmad Wali Achakzai
Image: DW


Ahmad Wali Achakzai is a colleague here at DW, working with the Dari&Pashtu department. And he is convinced: "The Taliban are fighters. They will fail in state-building."