While so much attention has been paid to the future of the Afghan peace process—and whether intra-Afghan dialogues or U.S.-Taliban talks can restart after collapsing this past September—little focus has been given to the current day-to-day conditions in Taliban controlled areas. Security and logistical challenges have stifled research on the hardest-hit areas of America’s longest war, leaving us with a limited understanding of how the official government and Taliban interact at the local level to shape the daily lives of Afghan citizens.

To address this gap and offer a look into the Taliban’s local policies and governance, USIP is excited to present a new study by Ashley Jackson and Rahmatullah Amiri. Based on previously unreleased Taliban documents and more than a hundred interviews, the report offers rare insights into the Taliban’s decision-making processes and the factors that influence them.