The Taliban overthrew Kabul’s capital on Sunday, just before the United States could withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan. This was after a nearly 20-year-long conflict. The Taliban took control of the Afghan presidential palace after Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan president, fled without warning.
CNN reported that “Although Afghan security forces had been well-funded and well-equipped, they were unable to resist the Taliban militants taking over large parts of the country.” CNN reported that the Taliban’s rapid success has raised questions about how insurgent groups were able to take control of Afghanistan so quickly after the U.S. withdrawal. “After almost 20 years of conflict, what do the Taliban want?” The publication said. Their goal at the time was to establish Islamic law in Afghanistan and eliminate all influence from other cultures.
The Taliban took control of Kabul in 1996 and established strict rules, including a ban on music and movies for women, and a ban on burqas for men. Barack Obama was in office when bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy Seals in Abbottabad (Pakistan). Obama withdrew some U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan later. Fast forward to February 2020 and Ghani was reelected for his second term in office as President of Afghanistan. The U.S. and Taliban also signed an agreement to bring peace to Afghanistan and end a nearly two-decade-long war. Although the U.S. intended to end its military mission in Afghanistan on August 31, 2021 as planned, the Taliban had already seized many cities in Afghanistan. You can help them by making a donation or engaging in advocacy. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of organizations and fundraisers to donate to, as well as platforms to support.
DONATE Afghanaid. British humanitarian and development organization Afghanaid has worked with millions of Afghan families in need for the past 40 years. It provides basic services, improves livelihoods, strengthens the rights of women and children, protects communities against natural disasters, and responds to humanitarian emergencies.Church World Service GlobalEstablished in 1946, CWS has been committed to feeding the hungry, providing clothes and shelter to the homeless, and looking after the sick.
Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders is an independent, global movement that provides aid to those most in need by responding to emergencies in a timely manner.
Emergency Help for LGBTQ+ Afghans in Afghanistan. The Emergency Help for LGBTQ+ Afghans in Afghanistan fundraiser is organized by three members of the Afghan diaspora. Donate to the IWMF to protect Afghanistan’s journalists. Khyber Khan created the Relief for Internally Displaced Afghans fundraising to help Afghans who are currently in a humanitarian crisis.
Save the Children. Save the Children has issued an emergency alert following the current Afghan crisis. It is committed protecting children from all walks and helping them to build a better future.
Women for Afghan Women. Women For Afghan Women are currently helping to evacuate centers, halt operations and assess risks. The organization provides individuals with social and economic skills to help them start fresh. The organization provides individuals with social and economic skills in order for them to start fresh.
ADVOCATE Afghan-American Coalition for a Better Tomorrow. The Afghan-American Coalition serves as a medium for action and resources to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. The group has listed immediate steps to be taken by the U.S. government such as prioritizing Afghans’ emergency evacuation, process special immigrant visas, deliver humanitarian assistance and welcome Afghan refugees.
Afghans for a Better Tomorrow. The Afghans for a Better Tomorrow petition urges President Joe Biden to support Afghans and lift refugee caps, as well as to “increase the capacity of NGOs operating in the country to make referrals for the P2 program, especially for women and girls, activists and religious and ethnic minorities.
CWS Global. CWS Global asks you to urge the U.S. government to evacuate all Afghan allies. Contact your national elected officials by phone or email.PEN AmericaPEN America requested that the U.S. offer protection for Afghan writers and cultural agents as soon as possible. Summer Lopez, PEN America’s senior director for free expression programs, stated in a press release that “As Taliban reclaim power in Afghanistan, many courageous Afghan writers and cultural actors, journalists and activists, especially women, are facing grave threats.”
