The Taliban has intensified efforts to suppress peaceful protests and free speech in Afghanistan. Last week, a journalist was brutally assaulted at his home in Kabul, an attack blamed on the militants. This week, two female protesters were reportedly arrested by the Taliban.
Los Angeles Times foreign correspondent and photographer Marcus Yam entered Afghanistan on the verge of the American withdrawal. He stayed for the next two months to document the Taliban’s swift takeover. Here are his reflections.