August 09, 2021
The Taliban have made massive territorial gains in Afghanistan since the Biden administration announced that it would withdraw all US forces by September of this year. In many instances, Afghan security forces have abandoned their bases and handed over territory rather than confront Taliban fighters directly. Recently, Taliban militants gained control of major crossings, including the Islam Qala crossing between Afghanistan and Iran, which generates $20 million in monthly revenue for the Afghan government, as well as the critical Wesh-Chaman border crossing with Pakistan. With the US withdrawal already more than 90 percent complete, the Taliban already control more than half of all Afghan districts. So as the last few US forces prepare to leave, we take a look at who controls what in Afghanistan. Spoiler: it's a significantly different state of play from when we last mapped it out two years ago.
From Your Site Articles
- Taliban takeover embarrassing for Biden; political impact of wildfires - GZERO Media ›
- What does a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan actually mean? - GZERO Media ›
- The US can advance democracy without being the world's sheriff - GZERO Media ›
- The fallout from US Afghanistan withdrawal: a Marine's perspective - GZERO Media ›
- US Afghanistan withdrawal: a “digital Dunkirk” - GZERO Media ›
- Petraeus on the Afghanistan crisis - GZERO Media ›
More For You
- YouTube
As America Turns 250, Ian explains why the country's current divisions aren't as unprecedented as they may seem.
Most Popular
- YouTube
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer is returning to your screens this week, kicking off Season 9 in a summer of sweltering global tensions. The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday, a war has reshaped the Middle East, AI is forcing humanity to confront profound ethical choices, and democracies around the world are bracing for what comes next. Host Ian Bremmer is here to make sense of it all.
The US president still has most of his term left and no shortage of disruptive fervor. But the fallout of the Liberation Day tariffs and the Iran war show that his power is limited – and it will be for the rest of his term.
- YouTube
Bill Maher says Donald Trump has pushed the limits of presidential power, but America's system of checks and balances is still holding.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.
