Afghanistan | July 20, 2023
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Al-Jazeera reported on 30 May 2023 that border clashes between Afghanistan and Iran took place, in which one Afghan and two Iranian troops were killed.
World Watch Research analyst Thomas Muller explains: “The clashes are reportedly connected with a dispute over a 1973 water-sharing agreement concerning the Helmand river. Iran claims that it is not receiving its agreed amount of water and that there has been no improvement since the Taliban took over in 2021. Relations with Afghanistan had already been tense due to the fact that the Shiite Hazara minority is being frequently targeted for attack both by the Taliban (Amnesty International, 15 September 2022) and the Islamic State group (Human Rights Watch, 6 September 2022), and Iran is predominantly Shia. But the recent border clashes highlight the uncomfortable truth that the Taliban are facing many more challenges than simply economic difficulties, an antagonistic Western world and a tense security situation.”
Thomas Muller adds: “In an effort to overcome Afghanistan’s forced isolation, the Prime Minister of Qatar met with Taliban Emir Akhundzada in Kandahar on 12 May, in what has been the first known visit of a foreign leader (Reuters, 31 May 2023). However, no international recognition for a Taliban government is to be expected soon as long as the Taliban are not willing to compromise on their policies.”
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