See,

1) Ángeles Espinosa (Islamabad), “El reparto de poder retrasa la formación del Gobierno talibán; Abdulghani Baradar, líder del brazo político y cofundador del grupo, se perfila al frente del Ejecutivo, El País, el 3 de setiembre 2021 (12:30 CET).

2) “The situation in Afghanistan today, August 30, 2021” The Trenchant Observer, August 30, 2021.

This rticle contains a link to Jacques Follorou’s article in Le Monde analyzing different factions vying for power within the Taliban, at Kandahar leadership meeting.

The Taliban are forming their government in Kandahar, with few concessions such as those imagined by American and Western leaders in their illusionary wishful thinking. Espinosa reports from a source close to the Taliban that the protection of women’s rights seems to be a third priority, while there is a push toward decentralization. The latter augurs poorly for those provinces under the control of the most hardline factions within the Taliban.

Those who know Afghanistan appear to be getting it right.

See,

1) Carlotta Gall, “As the Taliban Tighten Their Grip, Fears of Retribution Grow; Taliban leaders have promised amnesty to Afghan officials and soldiers, but there are increasing reports of detentions, disappearances and even executions,” New York Times, August 29, 2021 (Updated 4:06 p.m. ET);

2) Emma Graham-Harrison (in Kabul) and Akhtar Mohammad Makoii, “Evidence contradicts Taliban’s claim to respect women’s rights; There are signs of a return to something worryingly close to the hardline restrictions of the past across Afghan life,” The Guardian, September 3, 2021 (17:00 BST).

The Trenchant Observer