Afghanistan Journal | Afghanistan | May 2025
'The Emirate'
Standing in a group, with western style trainers and flashy jewellery, watches and iPhones, the Taliban commanders enjoying the Kabul sunset on Wazir Akbar Khan hill illustrate what a land of contradictions and extremes Afghanistan is. ‘The Emirate’ is a photo journal I compiled whilst travelling through the northern provinces of the recently named ‘Islamic Emirate’ of Afghanistan, the Taliban’s name for the country since they returned to power in 2021. Since then, the country has seen drastic change, mirroring how the group ruled the country before they were ousted in 2001 with severe restrictions on the rights of Women and minority groups within the country. The result of theocratic totalitarianism, four decades of war, and a diverse range of ethnicities, cultures and landscapes has moulded Afghanistan into one of the most desperate, heartbreaking yet simultaneously fascinating and beautiful places on earth.
Where the former black, red and green flag of Afghanistan used to fly, now hosts the Taliban’s white Shahada flag towering over Kabul on Wazir Akbar Khan hill. The flagpole park with arguably the best views of the city has become somewhat of propaganda park, where Taliban armed with Kalashnikovs can be seen sitting around laughing and drinking tea with their friends. On the surface it seems relatively normal considering, until it becomes noticeable there are no women within the park, as is the case with virtually every attraction within the country now. The hill is a popular spot for men to hang out in the evenings.
All throughout Kabul, armed Talibs walk and patrol the streets, usually friendly and inquisitive, especially the younger recruits. Many Afghans I spoke to within the city said, regardless of their view of the Taliban, that the cities across the country are much safer than they were before and that corruption is much less widespread.
Although the streets may be safer, it becomes quickly apparent, just as it does in any park, that women are absent. Throughout the whole country, but especially in more conservative areas, women are seldomly in the streets and never alone if they are. The bustling markets of Kabul, such as the bird market above, are filled with just men.
The streets of the centre of Kabul on a Saturday morning, only men can be seen. The tower behind is the Soviet built cinema, erected during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s. The building has been shut down ever since the Taliban’s return to power, their justification being films, particularly that of western films are ‘unislamic’.
The Taliban’s totalitarian grip of the country isn’t just apparent in the demographic of the streets and armed Talibs patrolling, advertisements and shop fronts must conform to the new rules set by the Taliban. Businesses such as shops, barbers and gyms have had to remove all pictures of human faces. All throughout the streets and shopping malls, faces have been removed either by tearing or chipping away, spray paint or newspaper and tape. One shop explains how if they continue to display pictures of human faces, they are subject to frequent harassment by the Taliban, and that removing such images can be beneficial to business nowadays, as people are much more cautious.
In addition to strict rules around shop fronts and advertisements, in 2023, two years after returning to power, the Taliban banned women’s beauty salons. Many shopping centres within Kabul have empty shops covered in newspaper, covering up any faces or indications that a beauty salon was here.
After the Taliban banned women from working within the country, outlets such as beauty salons served as social hubs for women who now faced restrictions even leaving the home without a male guardian in some areas. The Taliban’s justification for the ban was ‘women wearing makeup and praying was forbidden in Islam’ and that beauty salons put ‘unnecessary economic hardship on grooms and husband’s families during weddings’.
The gun markets of Jalalabad, where shotguns and rifles can easily be purchased.
Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the country has been experiencing a widespread economic crisis. Combined aspects such as supply chain disruption, souring fuel prices and reductions in international aid has caused severe inflation effecting the price of food. This has badly affected rural parts of the country which struggle to grow their own food due to the terrain and climate. Above is a man in Ghazni market selling chickens, a staple food in the Afghan diet.
A butcher in a market in Kabul. Recent droughts in parts of the country have made grazing sheep and goats harder, in turn causing the price of meat to rise.
U.S. Military hardware can be seen in every corner of Afghanistan, as soon as one enters the land border at Shir Khan Bander from Tajikistan, a series of Humvees can be seen along with containers bearing ‘Property of US Army’ upon them. When The U.S. and other western forces left Afghanistan in 2021, millions of dollars’ worth of military equipment was abandoned, and subsequently captured by the Taliban. It is estimated that the group now have over 2000 U.S. made Humvees, almost 400,000 rifles and many more armoured vehicles and weapons given to the previous Afghan Army by the United States. Upon their departure, many military aircraft were also left in Bagram and Kabul Airport, including Black Hawks, and small attack helicopters, light fighter aircraft and Hercules cargo aircraft, most however was damaged and rendered useless by the Americans before departure. The Taliban has been able to fly at least one Black Hawk by recruiting a U.S. trained Afghan pilot. Above is a Humvee positioned outside a Taliban outpost in the Wasel-Abad region of Kabul. The landscape is littered with the carcases of various military vehicles dating from both U.S. and Soviet conflicts.
A young member of the Taliban enters the bullet ridden compound overlooking Kabul.
The flag of the Taliban flying over the city is Wasel-Abad, Kabul. Since the takeover the flag can be seen flying from many buildings and shops, and at virtually every monument, mosque and checkpoint. The words upon the flag is the Islamic Shahada in Arabic, it reads: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". Other state flags that incorporate the Shahada are Saudi Arabia and Somaliland. Many Afghans said they preferred the Taliban flag over the previous tricolour regardless of their view on the Taliban.
A Taliban guard stands on the Terrace of the palace in Babur Gardens, a symbolic location of the Mughal Dynasty, overlooking the Sher Darwaza hillside of District 5, Kabul. Much of the city has extended up the mountains around the metropolis due to large population growth and rapid urbanisation.
Babur Gardens, once a popular place for families to relax away from the loud noises of the city can no longer enjoy the gardens, women have also been banned from entering, only young girls accompanied by their fathers are permitted to enter now. Like the situation with women in schools, past the age of 13, girls have been banned from attending anything past primary education. It is estimated with the Taliban in power, over 1 million girls don’t even attend primary stages of school anymore likely out of fear. The Taliban have insisted they are ‘working on a solution to this’ but reflecting on their previous stint in power before 2001, the prospect of women returning to education seems very unlikely.
Above shows a young girl playing in Babur Gardens whilst her father rests in the shade.
A large billboard, Fazel-Beg district of Kabul, promoting women to wear the niqab in public, to cover her face. Since 2021 posters as such have appeared around large cities, particularly in conservative areas.
A Pashtun man and a Tajik man on the roof of a building, Jalalabad.
Noor, a restaurant owner in Kabul explains since families cannot go out together for a meal anymore, business has taken a large hit. With the stress of rising food prices many restaurants in the city have since shut since 2021. He adds that when the local Taliban come in for food, he will usually feed them for free, as to stay in good standing with them as a means of insurance.
The former embassy of the United States in Kabul, now used by the Taliban, has its compound walls decorated in Islamic and Taliban quotes and various anti US artworks. Almost all compounds in the diplomatic district are covered in propaganda by the Taliban along with quotes from the Qur’an. Some countries, such as Iran, Türkiye, Russia, China and Pakistan still retain a diplomatic presence within the country. As of July 2025, Russia is the only country to formally recognise the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.
Two members who claim to be part of the Taliban’s ‘Badri Brigade’, patrolling a shrine overlooking Kabul. The Badri are the Taliban’s elite soldiers who were instrumental to recapturing Kabul in 2021.
Leaving Kabul, most people who live in the countryside rely on agriculture, and the quality of life can vary drastically by region. One place you can still see women working is in the fields. Almost always unpaid, these women are usually married to farmers or the men who work the land and may not have a say in whether they can or can’t work. Some have compared this to Slavery, as some rural villages rely on the unpaid labour of women to sow and harvest crops, sometimes in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Pictured above in Zarkharid shows a woman working the fields alongside three men.
Although the Taliban can often be seen driving U.S. made trucks previously used by the Afghan Army, many civilians use Soviet made ZIL-130s, a robust truck made in the millions during the Soviet Union. Many were imported into the country during the Soviet Afghan war, but due to their reliability and tolerance to low fuel quality, they can still be seen all over the country today, often decorated with Afghan style patterns. With parts easily accessible from both Afghanistan and the former soviet countries over the northern border, the ZIL-130 remains a favourite among truckers and merchants.
Since their return to power, the Taliban have repeatedly said they will preserve Afghanistan’s heritage including pre- Islamic monuments and allow greater access to international researchers and archaeologists. This however has raised suspicions and concerns by the international community who suspect the destruction and looting of ancient sites across the country will continue. Pictured above is the Topdara Stupa, a Buddhist shrine located in the mountains near Charikar, north of Kabul. Built between 200 and 400 AD, it had preservation works in 2016 after being severely deteriorated. Now the future of these sites of pre-Islamic heritage are at the mercy of the Taliban.
The remains of a Buddhist temple not far from Charikar, north of Kabul. Research and excavations had started before the Taliban retook control.
A field full of Soviet era tanks, Jabal-Os-Saraj.
Just as Soviet tanks can be spotted throughout the landscapes, ruins of American military hardware can also be seen.
Taliban checkpoints are positioned along every road in and out of most towns and cities, with some inside certain districts and areas of certain cities. Even mountain passes and remote roads into the highlands and deserts are complete with armed Taliban checkpoints. Many Afghans explain that although it is to tighten their control on the movement of people within the country, corruption and bribery has been reduced significantly through checkpoints making it slightly easier to move goods, even though the Taliban are widely regarded as a deeply corrupt organisation.
An abandoned soviet outpost leftover from the Soviet Afghan war in the mountains near Baghlan. Russian can still be seen carved into the walls.
The art of Afghan rug making often takes inspiration or documents recent wars and conflicts. Rugs can be found around Kabul depicting the fall of Kabul in 2021, with people falling from the American aircraft leaving. Other wars and events woven into their designs are the Soviet Afghan war, the Americans and the September 11th attacks.
The Taliban flag can be seen flying from every city now across the country, and with 20 years’ worth of U.S. military hardware and a scared and obedient population, it appears the Taliban’s return to power is likely to be much longer than their previous governance. Travelling through Afghanistan, one does realise however the support the Taliban has in some areas, which helps to understand how the group were able to recapture the country within a mere 10 days, with some praising stability and safety they have brought. All were men who openly supported the Taliban. As the rights of women and minorities are diminished, and the humanitarian crisis within Afghanistan’s borders grows more desperate, the only change the world can hope to see must come from within the country.
The United States recent departure from Afghanistan can be added to the list of foreign powers which have come to this land and left defeated. As another power comes and goes, Afghanistan lives up to its name of the Graveyard of Empires.