CGTN published this video item, entitled “Dialogue: Latest in Guinea, Afghanistan” – below is their description.
Military forces in Guinea have launched a coup, resulting in the dissolution of the government and the detention of President Alpha Conde. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have claimed victory in Panjshir province, the last holdout of anti-Taliban forces, which would mean they have taken control of the entire country. Meanwhile, two top U.S. officials are visiting countries in the Middle East that have received thousands of Afghan refugees. How will the Taliban solidify leadership at home and win recognition abroad? What’s America’s plan on Afghanistan after the controversial withdrawal? And how will its Middle East allies play a part?
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south; Iran to the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north; and China to the northeast.
Occupying 652,000 square kilometers (252,000 sq mi), it is a mountainous country with plains in the north and southwest. Kabul is the capital and largest city. The population is around 32 million, composed mostly of ethnic Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks.
A coup d’état or just coup is the removal and seizure of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal, unconstitutional seizure of power by a political faction, the military, or a dictator.
Guinea is a country in West Africa, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Formerly known as French Guinea (French: Guinée française), the modern country is sometimes referred to as Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from other countries with “Guinea” in the name.
It’s known for the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, in the southeast. The reserve protects a forested mountain range rich in native plants and animals, including chimpanzees and the viviparous toad. On the coast, the capital city, Conakry, is home to the modern Grand Mosque and the National Museum.
The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamist movement and military organization in Afghanistan, currently waging war within the country. Since 2016, the Taliban’s leader has been Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada.