In power, the Taliban’s divisions are coming to the fore
Ideological differences and bored fighters are creating headaches for its leaders
AFGHANISTAN’S PRESIDENTIAL palace has seen its fair share of bad-tempered quarrels between politicians. In recent years the castle-like building in the centre of Kabul was the site of bitter spats between the irascible former president, Ashraf Ghani, and his rival, Abdullah Abdullah. Mr Ghani is said to have taken anger-management classes. At one point he and Dr Abdullah held rival inauguration ceremonies as they disagreed over who should rule. Yet even by those fractious standards, the Taliban’s recent bust-up seems to have been heated.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “A delicate balance”
From the October 2nd 2021 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
AUKUS enters its fifth year. How is the pact faring?
It has weathered two big political changes. What about Donald Trump’s return?
Joe Biden’s mixed legacy on Japan
Security co-operation flourished, but a scuppered steel deal leaves a sour taste
Indonesia nearly has a monopoly on nickel. What next?
Prabowo Subianto, the new president, wants to create an electric car supply chain
What a 472-year-old corpse reveals about India
St Francis Xavier is both venerated and despised
Pakistan’s army puts a former intelligence chief on trial
General Faiz Hameed is an ally of Imran Khan, who is currently behind bars
By resisting arrest, South Korea’s president challenges democracy
His attempt to impose martial law failed. But Yoon Suk Yeol is still causing trouble