the bbc�*s yalda hakim speaks to anas haqqani — a leading figure in the influential haqqani network,n afghanistan. in the 3.5 months since the taliban swept to power, afghanistan has come to feel like a very different place. the democratically elected government has been replaced by an unelected caretaker cabinet made up exclusively of senior taliban figures, all men. while the focus over the past few months has been on the group's human rights record, there has been little discussion about the rise of the haqqani network within the taliban leadership. the haqqani network has been synonymous with terrorist activities here in afghanistan. they have been accused of launching large—scale attacks on civilian populations, as well as coalition forces, over the last two decades. sirajuddin haqqani, who leads the haqqani network, as a us $10 million bounty on his head. he's now the interior minister of the country. within days of arriving in kabul and forming a new government, haqqani and taliban leaders were reportedly involved in a power—sharing struggle that descended into violence. this

now on bbc news, with rare interviews and archive, yalda hakim examines the rise of the taliban after soviet occupation of afghanistan. back in control. after nearly 20 years of conflict, thousands of lives lost and trillions of dollars spent, the taliban has seen off the us, nato and their afghan allies. a stunning success for them and another superpower humbled in the streets and fields of afghanistan. but to understand these events and the origins of the taliban, we need to go back to the cold war. the bloody aftermath of the soviet occupation set the ground for a new force to emerge. they were really seen as angels, these young angels who'd arrived to save the country. on december 27, 1979, soviet special forces stormed the presidential palace in kabul. the president, hafizullah amin, was killed. this was the start of the soviet invasion of afghanistan. the soviets had invaded to shore up the communist government. afghanistan's communists had taken power in a coup in 1978, but opposition to the radical modernisation programme, together with internal communist party squabbling, had

the bbc�*s yalda hakim has this special report.ntial women as part of the bbc 100 women season. and this year, for the first time, 50 of these women are from one country — afghanistan. this year's season will recognise the stories of afghan women — the scope of their bravery and their achievements, after the taliban took control of the country earlier this year. over the next four days, bbc 100 women will also share the stories of women around the globe who are hitting reset and creating lasting change. 2021 has been a year when many women, especially those in afghanistan, have had to reinvent their lives. mahbouba seraj, women's rights activist and one of the women named on today's list, spoke to me in kabul. the trouble that afghanistan is in right now, apart from the whole political, whatever of it, you know... is poverty, is brain drain, a collapse of society and a country on the verge of becoming in pieces, of being destroyed. you've become now the public face of afghan women in afghanistan, someone who's remained and calling

aghanistan�*s former president hamid karzai speaks exclusively to the bbc�*s yalda hakim.arzai's ill—year presidency of afghanistan was dominated by fighting with the taliban. when i sat down with him at his fortified home in central kabul, it was clear he was trying to make the best of a situation he spent years trying to avoid. we spoke at length about relations with united states, the role of women in government and access to education. hamid karzai describes his former foes as his brothers and is calling on the international community to continue to engage with the new taliban government. he fears, he tells me, the country becoming the world's worst humanitarian crisis. mr president, it has been over 100 days now that the taliban have swept to power across this country. your assessment. well, our country has gone through a lot, sudden and massive changes, the country still needs to be sure of permanent peace and we are busy working in that direction. when you say busy working in that direction, what do you mean? meaning that the afghan people need to unite, need to wor

half of this year's list is dedicated to women from afghanistan — the bbc�*s yalda hakim has this special first time, 50 of these women are from one country. afghanistan. this year's season will recognise the stories of afghan women. the scope of their bravery and their achievements. after the taliban took control of the country earlier this year. over the next four days, the bbc 100 women will also share the stories of women around the globe who are hitting the reset and creating lasting change. 2021 has been a year where many women, especially those in afghanistan have had to reinvent their lives. women's rights activist and one of the women named on today's list spoke to me in kabul. the trouble that afghanistan is in right now, apart from the whole political whatever, is poverty, it is brain drain, a collapse of society in a country on the verge of becoming in pieces, of being destroyed. you've become the public face of afghan women afghanistan. someone who has remained and calling on others to come back. but what are they coming back to? but they're coming back to is not really very,

dismissing rumours that he is under house arrest, he spoke exclusively to the bbc�*s yalda hakim.his country belongs to us. so we are the sons of the soil. we shouldn't leave, we should stay here and make it better, and i would ask of all those afghans who have left to come back and build it. this is your country. let's build it together, let's work together, let's unite. do you think the taliban are capable of this though? i have had meetings with them. the exchanges were very good or lots of issues, the return of women to work, the schools, the nationalflag of the country and the need for a political process that belongs to all afghans, that all afghans see as theirs. so you were having frank conversations about the role of women in this society? so far, the majority of teenage girls in this country have been stopped from going to school. we very much want them to go back not only to school but to universities, back to workplaces. yes, we have had talks about this with the taliban. they agree with us, they understand it. they say that it will happen. we say that it should happen

yalda hakim has been covering the developments in the country.ecognise the stories of afghan women, the scope of their bravery and their achievements after the taliban took control of the country earlier this year. over the next four days, bbc100 earlier this year. over the next four days, bbc 100 women will also share the stories of women around the globe hitting reset and creating lasting change. 2021 has been a year when many women, especially those in afghanistan, have had to reinvent their lives. this women's rights advocate and one of the women named in today's list spoke to me and campbell. in today's list spoke to me and campbell-— in today's list spoke to me and cambell. ., , ~ ., , ., , campbell. the trouble afghanistan is in riaht now campbell. the trouble afghanistan is in right now apart — campbell. the trouble afghanistan is in right now apart from _ campbell. the trouble afghanistan is in right now apart from the _ campbell. the trouble afghanistan is in right now apart from the whole i in right now apart from the whole political s

dismissing rumours that he is under house arrest, he spoke exclusively to the bbc�*s yalda hakim.ban are capable of this? i l the taliban are capable of this? i have had meetings with them. the exchanges were very good or lots of issues, the return of women to work, the schools, the need for ecological progress, that all afghans css. so progress, that all afghans c55. 50 you were having frank progress, that all afghans css. so you were having frank conversations about the role of women in the society? so far, the majority of teenage girls in this country have been stopped from going to school. we very much want them to go back not only to school but to universities, back to work places. yes, we have had talks about with the taliban. they understand it. they say that it will happen. we say that it should happen now. immediately.— that it should happen now. immediately. that it should happen now. immediatel . ., ., . . immediately. you were once the chief of this nation. _ immediately. you were once the chief of this nation. when _ immediately. you were once the chief of this nation