It’s the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, when hijackers used commercial planes as missiles and crashed into New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon. These tragic events led to a new era of US counterterrorism efforts, including America’s longest war.  

In this episode, Dr Srinjoy Bose helps us make sense of recent events in Afghanistan. Srinjoy talks to Lois about Afghanistan’s history since the Soviet invasion, the recent evacuation of the US and its allies, the Taliban’s new interim administration and how other nations have responded to the Taliban’s return to power.

Srinjoy is a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. He has conducted research in Afghanistan for more than a decade. 

Content warning: This episode makes reference to violence, terror attacks in the US and civilian deaths in Afghanistan.