The Tyranny Of Color Coded Maps: What We Get Wrong About Measuring Control During Armed Conflict

Ibraheem Bahiss, Ashley Jackson, Leigh Mayhew and Florian Weigand

After a stunning military advance, the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. This seemingly sudden takeover, with hundreds of districts falling like dominos, took most observers by surprise. After all, maps had long shown most of Afghanistan’s districts under government control, with the Taliban holding just a small share.

This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. Continue reading the full article here.

Image credit: AMISOM Public information