Ghost Wars Redux – Covert Action and Proxy War in the Second Era of Taliban Rule
Steve Coll
Chapter from the book: Mathiesen J. & Vestenskov D. 2024. Still Here: Understanding and Engaging with Afghanistan after August 2021.
Part of
Chapter from the book: Mathiesen J. & Vestenskov D. 2024. Still Here: Understanding and Engaging with Afghanistan after August 2021.
This chapter examines the complex dynamics of covert action and proxy wars in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Drawing on a combination of historical analysis from the author’s previous works and recent interviews conducted in the region, it explores the evolving role of intelligence agencies, particularly the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), and their interactions with those of regional powers like Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and Iran’s intelligence services, as well as the persistent influences of the United States, Russia and China. The principal argument is that the Taliban’s security policies and intelligence operations, influenced by past practices and external pressures, could further destabilize Afghanistan and embroil the region in deeper conflicts.
Coll, S. 2024. Ghost Wars Redux – Covert Action and Proxy War in the Second Era of Taliban Rule. In: Mathiesen J. & Vestenskov D (eds.), Still Here. Copenhagen: Scandinavian Military Studies. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31374/book3.d
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Published on Nov. 26, 2024