DiscoverAfghanistan with Roh YakobiJames Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British commander’s remarkable Afghanistan story
James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British commander’s remarkable Afghanistan story

James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British commander’s remarkable Afghanistan story

Update: 2025-11-29
Share

Description

James Cowan has seen Afghanistan at its most intense: the frozen, “medieval” Kabul he first stepped into after the Taliban’s fall in 2001, the brutal peak of the NATO campaign in Helmand, and the country’s stunning collapse two decades later. He later took on a very different mission as head of the Halo Trust, working to clear the country of the deadly remnants of its wars. In this interview, he retraces that journey — from fighting the Taliban on the front lines to now negotiating with them so his teams can clear landmines and save lives. With rare candour, he reflects on the war, its cost, and the stark realities facing Afghanistan today.


👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends


📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube

Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comments 
In Channel
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British commander’s remarkable Afghanistan story

James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British commander’s remarkable Afghanistan story