James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British Commander’s Remarkable Afghanistan Story (E67)

James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British Commander’s Remarkable Afghanistan Story (E67)

November 29, 2025 · 47 min · Episode 67

About this episode

James Cowan shares his experiences in Afghanistan from combat to humanitarian work.

James Cowan has seen Afghanistan at its most intense: the frozen, “medieval” Kabul he first stepped into after the Taliban’s fall in 2001, the brutal peak of the NATO campaign in Helmand, and the country’s stunning collapse two decades later. He later took on a very different mission as head of the Halo Trust, working to clear the country of the deadly remnants of its wars. In this interview, he retraces that journey — from fighting the Taliban on the front lines to now negotiating with them so his teams can clear landmines and save lives. With rare candour, he reflects on the war, its cost, and the stark realities facing Afghanistan today. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Roh Yakobi

Guest: James Cowan

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Halo Trust

Places: Afghanistan, Kabul, Helmand

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