As the Taliban tightens its grip on Afghanistan’s capital, there’s concern the group’s rapid takeover may result in a downward spiral for the country’s freedoms despite the organisation claiming to be more moderate.
Fighters met little resistance as they entered Kabul on Monday, quickly taking control of the presidential palace and subsequently, Afghanistan’s seat of power.
Thousands flocked to the city’s airport in a desperate plea to escape, despite the Taliban vowing to provide safe passage for anyone wanting to leave.
So far, in the capital, there’s been a sense of calm with quiet city streets and minimal reports of looting and armed fighters on patrol.
But, the group’s seemingly moderate approach is raising questions over how sincere they may be, and how quickly Afghans will be stripped of their rights.
University of Otago's Professor Robert Patman warned the Taliban’s steady progress doesn’t make them exempt from a litany of war crimes.
“The jury is still out to see whether it will behave in a moderate fashion and its track record is not encouraging," the politics and international studies expert said.
Having ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban kept Afghanistan under the grip of harsh laws with women largely confined to their homes.
Patman told 1 NEWS that a complete takeover could have serious implications on global security.
“The Taliban are also in Pakistan and they might be emboldened to try and assert themselves in neighbouring Pakistan and Pakistan has nuclear weapons.
“So far, everybody seems to be wringing their hands and saying how terrible it is, the question is, what are they doing about it?”
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There are also concerns that the progressive freedoms for Afghani women will be stripped away under a Taliban regime, with female university students sent home in Kabul.
Robert Patman told 1 NEWS that despite messages of a changed Taliban, the group is continuing to employ old policies.
“There are indications that they are going back to their old policies and it's a tragedy for the country.
“We have become sensitised to trans-national threats from white supremacists but we should not be blind to the threat of trans-national Islamic terrorists.”
He called the Government overthrow a “sobering moment” for the rest of the world, as it marked an end to the West’s decade-long efforts.
“We have just witnessed the overthrow of a democratically-elected government by a self-appointed Taliban insurgency. So this is a sobering moment for those of us that believe change should be peaceful through a ballot box.”
However, not all has been lost by the Taliban’s seizure of power, as Patman noted it will be harder to revert back to the old ways.
“Girls have had unprecedented access to education which they didn’t have when the Taliban were last in power.
“I think the Taliban will try and reverse that which is a tragedy for the country but they could find it more difficult to do in practice than what they might envision it will be like.”
The New Zealand Government announced Monday it will begin providing consular assistance to Kiwis and others trapped in Afghanistan.
There are currently 53 New Zealanders thought to be in the country with evacuations being offered for them and their families along with Afghan nationals who helped NZDF during their deployment.
