Over the past three years, the Taliban’s land clearance campaign in Kabul has escalated, leaving thousands of Afghan families displaced and homeless. Disguised as resettlement and development projects, the destruction of over 1.5 million square meters of land has caused significant harm to some of the city’s most vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees. This investigation, carried out with Afghan Witness, the Centre for Information Resilience, Etilaat Roz, Zan Times, and The Guardian, exposes the extent of the demolitions and the human toll they have taken.
Since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, bulldozers have torn through entire neighborhoods, including those already home to people who fled war-torn areas or returned from exile. In many cases, residents were caught off guard as their homes were destroyed, with no compensation or alternative housing offered. Harrowing accounts from survivors describe children trapped in the rubble as their homes were razed.
The investigation utilized over 50 geolocated videos to trace the land destruction, revealing that a third of the demolished areas housed IDPs and returning migrants—some of the poorest communities in the country. For these individuals, the demolitions represent a devastating setback in a life already marked by displacement and hardship.
The Taliban justifies the demolition campaign as a means of “urban development,” but experts argue that the move is little more than a land grab, with no clear plans for the redevelopment of the cleared areas. Rather than providing housing or support to those displaced, the demolitions have only deepened the humanitarian crisis in the capital.
This ongoing campaign underscores the broader pattern of rights violations under the Taliban regime, particularly against vulnerable communities. The lack of accountability for these actions and the absence of relief for those affected continue to fuel global concern about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
References:
- The Guardian – Coverage of the Taliban’s land destruction and its impacts on Kabul residents. The Guardian
- Afghan Witness – A group focused on monitoring and documenting human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Afghan Witness
- Centre for Information Resilience – Works to expose misinformation and human rights abuses, particularly related to Afghan migration and displacement. Centre for Information Resilience
- Zan Times – An Afghan-led media platform covering social and political issues. Zan Times
- Etilaat Roz – A leading Afghan news outlet, involved in reporting on the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. Etilaat Roz
