"This research has been funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)."

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) emerged as a cohesive force amid the highly fragmented politics of Afghanistan. However, as it now seeks to rule, it faces many of the same challenges as previous Afghan governments. This report looks at how the Emirate has devised specific strategies to expand, consolidate and safeguard its control of northeastern Afghanistan, an area it had never ruled before. AAN’s Fabrizio Foschini looks at Takhar, Badakhshan, Panjshir and some districts of Baghlan to understand the Emirate’s governance priorities and strategies in an area where, compared to other regions, it controlled relatively limited amounts of territory before the fall of the Islamic Republic.”