Taliban militants (file photo)

8am: Many Uzbek citizens in Afghanistan argue that the Taliban’s ethnic biases have excluded them from political power, denying them a meaningful role in national decision-making. They criticize the Taliban’s mono-ethnic regime, which they claim has failed to provide any significant benefits to Uzbeks over the past three years. Instead, they say, the Taliban have forced competent Uzbek leaders and representatives out of the country through threats and coercion. Even Uzbeks who supported the Taliban and fought as commanders or fighters against the former republic and foreign forces now hold no authority in political, economic, or social matters, serving only symbolic roles within the group. The former deputy of the European Union’s special envoy to Afghanistan noted that these actions have prompted influential Uzbek figures to seek opportunities to form an independent force against the Taliban. Click here to read more (external link).