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17 Essential Documentaries on the War in Afghanistan — and Its Consequences
These documentaries explore how the war in Afghanistan began and evolved, what it has meant for ordinary Afghan citizens and the ongoing consequences of the U.S. withdrawal.
October 12, 2021
Amid the U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan, 14 Documentaries Explore the Two-Decade War and Its Impact
Explore nearly two decades of reporting from FRONTLINE on America’s longest war — including a new documentary investigating the consequences of the U.S. withdrawal.
July 19, 2021
The War in Afghanistan: As Biden Sets U.S. Withdrawal Date, 13 Documentaries Explore the Conflict and Its Impact
Explore nearly two decades of reporting from FRONTLINE on America’s longest war.
April 15, 2021
Pentagon Maintained Aid for Afghans Accused of Rights Abuses, Watchdog Says
A government watchdog has found that the United States military provided assistance to Afghan security force units implicated in human rights abuses, despite a federal law designed to cut off aid in such instances.
January 25, 2018
Pentagon Accused of Blocking Report On Child Sex Abuse By Afghan Allies
An inspector general report has found that for more than a decade, U.S. forces were not properly trained in how to report allegations of child sexual abuse by American allies in Afghanistan.
November 28, 2017
Pentagon Opens Probe Into Sexual Abuse by U.S. Allies in Afghanistan
The Defense Department's Inspector General has opened an investigation into whether U.S. troops were discouraged from reporting the rape and sexual abuse of children by their Afghan allies.
October 28, 2015
Military Overlooked Sexual Abuse by Afghan Allies, Investigation Says
A new investigation by The New York Times finds that U.S. soldiers were told not to intervene in cases of sexual abuse of young boys by Afghan allies.
September 21, 2015
Afghanistan's 'Dancing Boys' Exploitation on the Rise
Bacha bazi -- an ancient practice in which young Afghan boys are sold by families to "entertain" men – is on the rise, according to a new report.
April 5, 2012
Introduction
FRONTLINE takes viewers inside Afghanistan to reveal a disturbing practice that is once again flourishing in the country: the organized sexual abuse of adolescent boys.
April 20, 2010
"This Became a Habit for Powerful People"
Nazer Alimi investigated bacha bazi and wrote an internal report for UNICEF that suggested the practice was common in many areas of Afghanistan.
April 20, 2010
A Taboo Topic
One of the first international figures to speak out against the practice of bacha bazi, Radhika Coomaraswamy has served as United Nations' undersecretary general, special representative for Children and Armed Conflict since 2006.
April 20, 2010
Q&A With the Producers
Jamie Doran and Najibullah Quraishi investigated this story for more than a year and a half. Quraishi had been a prominent journalist in Afghanistan before being driven into exile. Doran has made dozens of reporting trips to Afghanistan over the years.
April 20, 2010
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Police on Trial
Home Video DVDs of The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan are available from ShopPBS.
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