On 15 August 2026, the Taliban will complete five years in power since its return to Kabul in 2021. For a movement that many expected either to fragment or fail under the pressure of governing Afghanistan, its endurance is significant for national governance and regional security. Five years later, it remains in control of almost the entire country, while armed resistance forces appear too weak and fragmented to pose a serious challenge to its authority. The Taliban has therefore demonstrated its ability to retain power; the larger question, however, is whether it can translate that control into sustainable, inclusive and economically viable governance.
