Why the Taliban Reversed Course at the Last Minute?

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CNN's John Sutter went back to Afghanistan in order to find out why the Taliban had reverse course at the last minute. He spoke with a senior Taliban official who asked to remain anonymous because of how sensitive the issue was. "The Islamic, emerald of Afghanistan desires peaceful and positive relations with the world," he said.

One year ago this week, when the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, they promised to institute a modern form of Islamic government that honored women’s rights.

That promise evaporated with a sudden decision to prohibit girls from going to high school, prompting questions about which part of the Taliban is really running the country.

Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times and the author of “The Naked Don’t Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees.”

Background reading:

After barring girls from high school — and harboring a leader of Al Qaeda — the Taliban risks jeopardizing the billions of dollars of global aid that keeps Afghans alive.

For more information on today’s episode, visit

nytimes.com/thedaily

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