The Unraveling: Understanding the Taliban's Surge Amidst U.S. Withdrawal

The Taliban have made big moves in the last few days in their bid to take control of Afghanistan. 

This weekend, they seized several cities and suddenly claimed a lot of the north. On Monday, they took another provincial capital. 

What is the Taliban’s strategy, what will the United States do, and where does this leave the Afghan government?

Guest: Carlotta Gall, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times. She previously reported from Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2001 to 2011. 

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. 

Background reading: 

• The seizure of five Afghan capitals has amplified fears about the nation’s future after the U.S. withdrawal.
• What to know about the war in Afghanistan — how it started and how it is ending.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.