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Germany and its Afghan interpreters
"Why are you leaving me behind?"
I regret very much that I worked for the Bundeswehr. If the Taliban knock on my door, I hope they shoot me right away. Guest article by Ahmad Jawid Sultani
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Erdogan's NATO peace offering
Can Turkish forces tame the Taliban in Afghanistan?
Almost all NATO troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan. Turkey is looking to fill the gap and is offering itself as a new protective power. But the Taliban are sending clear threats in the direction of Ankara. By Hilal Koylu
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The legacy of withdrawal: Afghanistan drowns in American rubbish
For nearly 20 years, Bagram was the headquarters of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Since the spring, the base has been cleared. What remains is a pile of rubbish. By Friedel Taube
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Interview with Afghanistan expert Ahmed Rashid
"The Americans were completely devoid of any strategy"
The West is pulling out of Afghanistan after 20 years, but the conflict remains – and the Taliban are stronger than they have been for a long time. And now? The renowned Taliban expert Ahmed Rashid talks to Tobias Matern about mistakes made by the West and the future role of the Taliban in Afghanistan
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U.S. and NATO withdraw from "the forever war"
What we should all know about Afghanistan
United States and NATO troops are leaving Afghanistan after 20 years, despite the fact that the Taliban is still advancing. The German Bundeswehr is already out. Sandra Petersmann examines the key issues
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Repercussions of 9/11
The West and the Islamic world – mutually radicalised?
In his book "Ground Zero: 9/11 und die Geburt der Gegenwart" (Ground Zero: 9/11 and the Birth of the Present) Islamic scholar Stefan Weidner analyses the consequences of the attacks on the USA in September 2001. Kersten Knipp spoke with him about failures – as well as opportunities – in the West-East dialogue
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U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan
Joe Biden and the West's betrayal of the Hindu Kush
The USA and NATO plan to withdraw from Afghanistan by September. The operation is risky, the outcome uncertain. Many Afghans fear civil war. The quake on the Hindu Kush will also impact Germany, writes Stefan Weidner in his commentary
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The fate of Europe's unwanted Afghans
"Deportee Central" – a seedy hotel in downtown Kabul
Even in times of war and pandemic, refugees are still being deported to Afghanistan. Several deportation flights have taken place in recent weeks alone. Since those affected often have nothing to go back to, many of them end up in a seedy hotel in downtown Kabul. Emran Feroz reports from the Afghan capital
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The papal visit to Iraq
The blessing of Pope Francis – "Salaam, salaam, salaam"
The Pope’s journey to the "land between the rivers": places of terror and a dialogue to promote hope and optimism. His meeting with Shia Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani was a milestone in the history of Christian-Islamic dialogue. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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Radicalisation among Barelvis in Pakistan
The spread of violent fanaticism
In the early years of the new millennium, Pakistan's leaders were keen to promote the Barelvi movement as the embodiment of traditional, peaceful, Pakistani Islam. In recent years, however, certain Barelvi elements have become radicalised. Now, the violence is spreading beyond Pakistan's borders
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U.S.-Taliban peace deal
Bleak days in Afghanistan
Developments in recent days have revealed – unsurprisingly – that Donald Trump's recent "peace deal" with the Taliban is barely worth the paper it was written on. What is clear, however, is that the next president of Afghanistan, whoever that may be, will inherit a nation that has long since ceased to function. Emran Feroz reports from Mussahi
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Interview with writer Guy Helminger about Yemen
No ulterior motives, just tea
Since 2015, war has been raging in Yemen – a country about which people in Europe know astonishingly little. Cologne-based writer Guy Helminger visited Yemen in 2009, six years before hostilities began. He describes his experience in his book "Die Lehmbauten des Lichts" (Clay buildings of light). Interview by Gerrit Wustmann