Taliban celebrates five years since they took control of Afghanistan

Taliban celebrates five years since they took control of Afghanistan

The Taliban is celebrating 5 years since they seized-back control of Afghanistan - with parades and events that women are banned from joining. The BBC's Lyse Doucet joins us live from Kabul with an assessment of life under the Taliban, and why so many women fear for their safety with the extremists back in charge. Also in the programme: We'll have the latest on the Indonesian earthquake; we'll discuss what impact Ukrainian attacks are having on Russian civilians; and we'll hear from the musician still playing jazz at 100. (Photo shows members of the Taliban attending a rally to mark five years in power in Kabul, Afghanistan on 15 August 2026. Credit: Mohammad Yunus Yawar/Reuters)

Afghanistan: Five years after the Taliban takeover

The BBC's Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, returns to Afghanistan to report on the state of the country after five years of Taliban rule. She also brings us an interview with Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Later, we hear from the American four-star general David Petraeus, who led US forces in Afghanistan for a year. Also in the programme: Colombian Vice-President Jose Manuel Restrepo on how his country has handled the aftermath of last week's earthquake; and the BBC Proms festival of classical music celebrates the legacy of the Motown musician Marvin Gaye. (Photo: An Afghan boy sells flags of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's return to power. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Life in Afghanistan under Taliban rule

This week marks five years since the Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, seizing back power. In those five years, girls’ and women’s rights have drastically worsened, as has the country’s humanitarian situation. We hear from the BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, who has been travelling to Afghanistan for many years and has returned again now to report on life under Taliban rule, five years on from the 2021 Taliban takeover. Also in the programme: extreme rainfall in Japan has led to the deaths of several people and caused major travel disruption near Tokyo; new research by the artificial intelligence giant Anthropic finds autonomous AI agents engage in “turf wars” when pitted against each another; and builders renovating a building in Belgium have struck gold, after they discovered a stash of treasure sealed into the walls of its cellar. (Photo: women walk through a market in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 4 August 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

13/08/2026 20:06 GMT

Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

US ambassador to Israel denounces settler siege on Palestinians

The US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that Washington has been very involved in efforts to end the siege in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers and remove what he called “Israeli terrorists”. Also on the programme: Taiwan's Foreign Minister tells us Pacific nations need to act together to counter Chinese aggression while hoping the US will remain involved; and why did Joshua Kushner buy the LA Lakers for more ⁠than $12.5bn in a record-breaking ⁠deal? (Photo: Israeli settlers wait during a military raid in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, West Bank on August 13, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)