The fall of Kabul in August 2021 marked a pivotal moment in Afghanistan’s history, signifying the withdrawal of foreign troops and the Taliban’s return as the de facto rulers of the country. Their resurgence prompted global apprehensions about their capacity to govern effectively and sustainably. Adopting a qualitative research approach, this paper draws on secondary sources to analyse the Taliban’s performance across key domains: economy, politics, civil liberties, security, and diplomacy, over the past three years. The analysis highlights that while the Taliban have managed to sustain their government despite a lack of international recognition and have taken steps to revive Afghanistan’s struggling economy, their governance has been marred by significant shortcomings in upholding civil liberties. The paper argues that the future sustainability of the Taliban regime hinges on four critical factors: ensuring internal security, addressing humanitarian needs of the population, consolidating control over the country, and engaging diplomatically to achieve international recognition.
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