This episode contains strong language.

On Sunday, the president of Afghanistan fled the country; the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital; and the American-backed government collapsed.

One outspoken critic of the Taliban — a 33-year-old Kabul resident who asked that we refer to her by the initial R for fear of retaliation — shared her experiences as the insurgents closed in.

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Background reading:

Kabul fell to the Taliban far faster than many had imagined it would, leaving most Afghans with no way out.
The Afghan military was built over 20 years. How did it collapse so quickly?

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