President Joe Biden has pledged to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan by September 11. As a result, other Western nations are also downsizing and repatriating their forces. The stage is set for a return of the Taliban, 20 years after being ousted by a US-led military coalition in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. In this report for Arte and FRANCE 24, correspondents Margaux Benn and Solène Chalvon Fioriti offer an in-depth look at Taliban rule, with its schools and Court of Justice -- and a chilling foretaste of daily life under Islamic fundamentalists.
Today, fighting rages between Afghan soldiers and the Taliban across the country. The fundamentalists are gaining ground against an exhausted Afghan army. The Taliban already control or claim more than half the territory, mostly in the countryside.
By immersing themselves in a Taliban village and gaining rare access to major institutions run by the extremists, our team shed a disturbing light on today's Taliban society and the workings of this ultra-conservative parallel state, which could well be a harbinger of the Afghanistan of tomorrow.
Click on the video player to watch our full report.
