Inside the Taliban’s luxury hotel

The Audio Long Read

The Guardian

Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2023

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Once the site of legendary parties, the Intercontinental in Kabul is still a potent symbol of who rules Afghanistan – and what its future might hold. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Transcript

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1:26.6	forward slash Longweed.
1:30.0	Inside the Taliban's luxury hotel by Andreas Babst. At the first barrier, Talib smiles. He has orders to smile. At the second barrier, a sign, weapons handover point. Those who deposit
1:56.8	their Kalashnikovs here will receive a locker number and get their weapon back upon
2:01.0	leaving the hotel. The road winds up the hill between
2:05.0	circular trimmed hedges. At the third barrier, a body search. Then behind a metal
2:11.4	gate, the driveway to the hotel finally appears.
2:15.0	Car tires squeal on the marble slabs in front of the entrance.
2:20.0	The Intercontinental Hotel towers over the Afghan capital like a castle.
2:27.0	Carball, this war-ravaged city.
2:31.0	The noise of its car horns can no longer be heard up here.
	...

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