Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. Since the withdrawal of US-led forces and the collapse of the Western-backed republic in 2021, it has been governed by the Taliban as the self-declared Islamic Emirate, a clerical-led system under supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada; no country has formally recognized this government, leaving Afghanistan largely diplomatically isolated. Key fault lines for readers include the contested international legitimacy of the Taliban administration, sharp restrictions on women's rights and civil society, tensions with neighboring Pakistan (including over the Pakistani Taliban and border disputes), and ongoing security threats from the regional Islamic State affiliate (ISIS-K). The country's strategic position makes it a focus for the interests of Pakistan, Iran, China, Russia, and the Central Asian states.