War's bitter end

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View online August 31, 2021   1 / Kim Sengupta reflects on two decades of conflict in Afghanistan as the west finally pulls out The last exit of western forces from Afghanistan has taken place amid carnage on the ground, bitter accusations and recriminations in Washington and London, and despondency and fear among people left behind in a shattered land.   The 20th anniversary of 9/11 will be marked by the humiliating defeat for the US, the UK and their allies, and gathering darkness for Afghans who see the painstaking gains of the last two decades being snatched away as they enter a forbidding future.   The attack on Kabul airport by Isis-K last week, in which at least 169 Afghans were slaughtered, and the prevalence of other extremist groups, including al-Qaeda, was a warning that the savage civil war that followed the withdrawal of the Russian forces at the end of the 1980s may return – with all the devastation that will entail.   2 / 10 members of family killed in US strike targeting 'suicide bombers' near Kabul airport, relative says 'We've seen hell in our life ... how is this possible?' asks Ramin Yousufi   3 / Massive solar farms set to make Hartlepool an energy powerhouse Three facilities will cover an area the size of 250 football pitches and power 43,000 homes   4 / Judge orders hospital to treat Covid patient with horse medicine Ivermectin Personal physician of patient in case rants about 'genocide' as he demands man be given potentially dangerous treatment   5 / Thousands could be without power for weeks in Hurricane Ida aftermath More than 1.1 million homes and businesses hit by outages The Big Question     What is the Taliban-linked Haqqani Network? The Haqqani Network is a Pashtun Islamist faction operating in eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan, taking its name from the "almost mythic" guerrila fighter Jalaluddin Haqqani (above), a feared commander of the mujahideen in the 1980s during the Afghan War against the Soviet Union.   The group, which has ties to both the Taliban and al-Qaeda, is thought to be playing a security role in the new Afghanistan, once more under Islamist control since the presidential palace was seized on 12 August.   As fear and uncertainty again reigns over the country and thousands attempt to flee, attention is turning to who will lead the new governing regime, with Khalil Haqqani, one of the network's most brutal enforcers, thought to be a contention for a high-ranking role. But his personal notoriety might give the Taliban pause for thought if it is at all serious about upholding the moderate front it has so far presented to the West in pursuit of international recognition. Read the full story >   Watch/ Hurricane Ida tears off hospital roof in Louisiana NUMBER OF THE DAY 90%  The proportion of adults reporting they wear face coverings outside their homes (90%) was similar to last week (89%), as was the proportion of adults who always or often maintained social distancing (45% this week, 46% last week). Office for National Statistics QUOTE OF THE DAY "When you're a band … you do anything and everything. But Glastonbury, it's old hat. I never liked the hippy thing to start with. It's not what I'd like to do for a weekend, I can tell you." – Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts   Other stories you might like How beavers finally returned to British rivers after 400 years Red list deadline beaten by two minutes after easyJet flight fiasco Eleven XR members arrested after blocking Tower Bridge If you can spare a minute we'd love your feedback on our newsletters.     Join the conversation or follow us Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders.   If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please unsubscribe.   If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our privacy notice and cookie policy.