In brief
A former Kabul journalist meets Mullah Osman Jawhari, a key figure in a deadly assault on U.S. troops, to uncover untold stories of the Afghan war and gain insights into its aftermath.
The Taliban commander wore sunglasses and a heavy wool coat, a picture of calm as we sat across from each other in a busy guesthouse. The background noise was chaotic—merchants haggling, cars honking—while an untouched mound of lamb and rice lay between us, a symbol of the conversation yet to unfold.Our meeting took place on a winter day in 2022. I sought out Mullah Osman Jawhari, who led the infamous Battle of Want, a pivotal moment in the Afghan conflict where 150 Taliban fighters attacked American forces, resulting in nine U.S. soldiers dead and many more injured. This battle was one of the most significant assaults on U.S. troops during the longest war in American history.Surprisingly, Jawhari had survived in an environment where many similar commanders did not. For over two decades, Western media primarily shared one narrative—the American perspective—while many voices, including that of the Taliban, remained unheard. As a former Kabul bureau chief, I had the chance to cover the war, but I now realized that capturing the Taliban's side was crucial to understanding the entire story.In the wake of the war, I yearned to piece together what had led to the U.S.’s unfavorable outcome and the implications for Afghan society, particularly women. This was not merely an interview; it was a step towards grasping the complexities of a historic conflict with lasting repercussions.
