32. Understanding Afghanistan's Past, Present and Future with Journalist Habib Khan Totakhil

Habib Khan Totakhil is an Afghan journalist who has reported on the Afghan conflict for more than a decade with the Wall Street Journal, becoming one of the few reporters to have embedded with both government forces and the Taliban. His reporting has come at a steep personal cost, including being abducted and held by the Taliban. Totakhil was honored for "Courageous Journalism" by the East West Center in 2016 and won the Rumi Award for "Best International Reporter in Afghanistan" in 2014. Beyond journalism, Totakhil is also the founder of the non-profit Afghan Peace Watch, which aims to deliver reliable research and information on what’s happening on the ground in Afghanistan. Notably, he was also a restaurant owner. His first business was a Mexican restaurant in Kabul’s green zone, and his other restaurant was the Cabul Meat House, a popular steakhouse in the Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood. Join us for a conversation with Habib Khan Totakhil and Ramesh Srinivasan on the realities of living and reporting from inside a decades-long conflict, the ethics and risks of embedded journalism, and what two decades of war have meant for Afghanistan's future.This episode was recorded in December of 2023. Follow Habib Khan Totakhil on X. Questions or comments? Email [email protected].