The Taliban now guard Afghanistan's National Museum, where they once smashed objects

Taliban guards stand at the entrance of the National Museum of Afghanistan after it reopened under Taliban control in Kabul in December. (Mustafa Melih Ahishali/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

KABUL — One of the most striking sights at the National Museum of Afghanistan these days isn't inside the museum, but by its front gates.

Young, armed Taliban guards protect the entrance, searching visitors before they enter the museum grounds.