Since the Taliban took over Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, last month, many have wondered what kind of rulers they will be.

The memory of the Taliban of the 1990s — the public executions, the whippings in the streets and the harsh rules preventing women from leaving the house unaccompanied — has filled some with fear.

This time around, what will their rule mean for ordinary Afghans?

Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times.

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Background reading: 

• Since the fall of Kabul, Taliban officials have been scrambling to take up the functions of government.
• When the last of the American troops left Afghanistan, the Taliban celebrated victory. But the scenes of triumph were clouded by the prospect of famine and financial collapse.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.