Filenews 17 August 2021
The Rise of the Taliban to power and the restoration of a state, at the heart of which will be sharia (Islamic) law, creates new associations not only in the Middle East, but throughout the Islamic world, while opening a new chapter for the West. While some countries reject any possibility of conciliation with them, others are already in advanced negotiations.
The Taliban seem to be more politically mature today than the previous time they entered Kabul triumphantly in 1996, when they had sowed terror and death among their opponents. They are trying to convince everyone, both in Afghanistan and in the rest of the world, that they are a force for stability and peace, as well as a reliable interlocutor for the formation of a transitional government. They also let it be leaked that they are ready to make "discounts" on sharia enforcement, especially with regard to women's rights and the administration of justice.
At the same time, the astonishing speed with which the Taliban have advanced will give a huge boost to Islamic extremists around the world, be it al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, fighters in Syria, Mozambique, or sympathizers in Europe. It should be noted that last month, the UN in its assessment, based on information from member states, said that al-Qaeda is present in at least 15 Afghan provinces.
One of the most important consequences of the Taliban's return to power is the massive wave of exodus from Afghanistan that is igniting, intensifying concerns about a new refugee crisis in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes, thousands of them are being smuggled out of the country. Smugglers in Zaranz, a border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran, say the number of people seeking to flee via Iran to Turkey and from there to Europe to seek asylum has tripled in recent times. At the same time, Cyprus and the other Mediterranean countries are alert to the possibility of an increase in refugee flows, as refugees will have only one choice, Europe, which once again seems unprepared.
In this climate, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Italy and Malta put developments in Afghanistan on the agenda of the extraordinary Home Affairs Council, asked for a discussion of the extraordinary conditions in Afghanistan and the impact they will likely have on the migration issue in the host countries and throughout the European Union, on the basis of a scenario that wants the huge migration wave, which will initially overwhelm Turkey, then move to the rest of the Mediterranean EU states.
Source: Phileleftheros
