Rise of Taliban

The Taliban emerged in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, led by Mullah Mohammed Omar, and drew many of its first members from students at religious schools, which is the meaning of the name. It rose in the chaos that followed the Soviet withdrawal and the collapse of the communist government, when rival mujahideen factions fought for control. The movement took Kabul in 1996 and ruled most of the country as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, enforcing a strict interpretation of Islamic law that severely restricted women's rights. It sheltered al-Qaeda, and after the September 11 attacks a US-led invasion removed it from power in late 2001. The Taliban then fought a long insurgency and returned to power in August 2021, after the withdrawal of US forces.

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