Muhammad Ismail Agha (born 1988 or 1989) is an Afghan national who was among some 15-21 juveniles held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camps . He is believed to be 13 or 14 years old when arrested by Afghan soldiers. Detained without charge, he was released on January 29, 2004, and returned home.
119-705: He was recaptured in May 2004 during an engagement with US forces near Kandahar . Agha was born in Durabin (also written as Doorbini), a poor farming village near Nawzad, Afghanistan . There is some confusion about his date of birth: U.S. Department of Defense records indicate he was born in 1988, while first-hand reports suggest it was 1989. He helped his father, Hayatullah, as a builder, before leaving his village to look for construction work in December 2002. Shortly after leaving home to look for work in December 2002, Agha
238-619: A Human Rights Watch 's report released in November 2021, the Taliban killed or forcibly disappeared more than 100 former members of the Afghan security forces in the three months since the takeover in just the four provinces of Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, and Kunduz. According to the report, the Taliban identified targets for arrest and execution through intelligence operations and access to employment records that were left behind. Former members of
357-552: A cultural genocide against Afghans by destroying their historical and cultural texts, artifacts and sculptures. The Taliban held control of most of the country until the United States invasion of Afghanistan in December 2001. Many members of the Taliban fled to neighboring Pakistan. After being overthrown, the Taliban launched an insurgency to fight the US-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and
476-572: A Chagatai prince raised an army from Kandahar against the Ilkhanid governor of Sistan . Kandahar was described by Ibn Battuta in 1333 as a large and prosperous town three nights journey from Ghazni . Timur the Great , founder of the Timurid Empire , captured Kandahar in 1383. He appointed his grandson Pir Muhammad as governor of Kandahar in 1390. Following his death in 1405, the city
595-529: A Shia mosque in the city . The Arghandab River runs along the west of Kandahar. The city has 15 districts and a total land area of 27,337 hectares. The total number of dwellings in Kandahar is 61,902. Only 64% of families in Kandahar have access to safe drinking water; 22% of households have access to safe toilet facilities; and 27% of households have access to electricity, with the remainder dependent on public power. Kandahar's transportation infrastructure
714-411: A Taliban suicide bomber who had hidden explosives inside his turban . On 27 July 2011, the mayor of the city, Ghulam Haider Hamidi , was assassinated by another Taliban militant who had hidden explosives in his turban. Two deputy mayors had been killed in 2010, while many tribal elders and Islamic clerics have also been assassinated in the last several years. The overwhelming majority of the victims in
833-523: A fragment of Edict 13 in Greek, as well as a full Edict, written in both Greek and Aramaic has been discovered in Kandahar. It is said to be written in excellent Classical Greek, using sophisticated philosophical terms. In this Edict, Ashoka the great used the word Eusebeia (" Piety ") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous " Dharma " of his other Edicts written in Prakrit . Islamic conquest Until
952-405: A governing authority through the imposition of a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Formal education for girls was banned as well as the consumption of TV, films, music with instrumental accompaniments , and the playing of sports. In December 1999, a hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 plane by Pakistani militants loyal to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen landed at Kandahar International Airport and kept
1071-606: A loanword in English, Taliban , besides a plural noun referring to the group, has also been used as a singular noun referring to an individual. For example, John Walker Lindh has been referred to as "an American Taliban" rather than "an American Talib" in domestic media. This is different in Afghanistan, where a member or a supporter of the group is referred to as a Talib (طَالِبْ) or its plural Talib-ha (طَالِبْهَا). In other definitions, Taliban means 'seekers'. In English,
1190-567: A local ruler of the Saffarid dynasty , conquered Kandahar and environs in the name of Islam. Ghanavids It is believed that the Zunbil dynasty were the rulers of the Kandahar region from the 7th century until the late 9th century AD. Kandahar was taken by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century followed by the Ghurids of Ghor . Kandahar appears to have been renamed Teginābād in
1309-577: A months-long campaign of carpet bombing and bulldozing by the Soviets and Afghan communist soldiers in 1987. Kandahar International Airport was used by the Soviet Army during their ten-year troop placement in the country. The city also became a battle ground for the US and Pakistani-backed forces against the pro-Communist government of Afghanistan. Kandahar underwent a complete sociopolitical collapse in
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#17328019858321428-636: A name given to some cities that Alexander founded during his conquests. Kandahar was a frequent target for conquest because of its strategic location in Asia, controlling the main trade route linking the Indian subcontinent with the Middle East and Central Asia . The territory became part of the Seleucid Empire after the death of Alexander. It is mentioned by Strabo that a treaty of friendship
1547-765: A natural cause. A new city was laid out by Ahmad Shah and is dominated by his mausoleum, which is adjacent to the Mosque of the Cloak in the centre of the city. By 1776, his eldest son Timur Shah had transferred Afghanistan's main capital, due to several conflicts with various Pashtun tribes, from Kandahar to Kabul, where the Durrani legacy continued. From 1818 to 1855, Kandahar was ruled by half-brothers of Dost Mohammad Khan as an independent principality . In September 1826, Syed Ahmad Shaheed 's followers arrived to Kandahar in search of volunteers to help them wage jihad against
1666-469: A number of arrests of local journalists, as well as barring access to international journalists. The country's small community of Sikhs - who form Afghanistan's second largest religion - as well as Hindus , have reportedly been prevented from celebrating their holidays as of 2023 by the Taliban government. Despite this, the Taliban in a later statement praised the communities and assured that their private land and property will be secured. In April 2024,
1785-467: A recreation yard, where the boys played football every day with their guards, and sometimes basketball and volleyball . Agha and his family said that he was treated well by the American troops and attended school during his incarceration at Guantanamo , although he criticized the US for not contacting his parents for 10 months, and failing to let them know that he was still alive during that time. He
1904-533: Is Pashto, طَالِباَنْ ( ṭālibān ), meaning "students", the plural of ṭālib . This is a loanword from Arabic طَالِبْ ( ṭālib ), using the Pashto plural ending -ān اَنْ . (In Arabic طَالِبَانْ ( ṭālibān ) means not "students" but rather "two students", as it is a dual form, the Arabic plural being طُلَّابْ ( ṭullāb )—occasionally causing some confusion to Arabic speakers.) Since becoming
2023-531: Is a city in Afghanistan , located in the south of the country on Arghandab River , at an elevation of 1,010 m (3,310 ft). It is Afghanistan's second largest city , after Kabul , with a population of about 614,118. It is the capital of Kandahar Province and the centre of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar . Kandahar is the founding city and spiritual center of the Taliban . Despite
2142-403: Is a major trading center for sheep, wool , cotton, silk, felt , food grains , fresh and dried fruit . The region produces fine fruits, especially pomegranates and grapes, and the city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit, and is a major source of marijuana and hashish . The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements. A major fortified city existed at
2261-581: Is an enemy. However, non-Pashtuns and others usually criticize some of the values such as the Pashtun practice of equally dividing inheritances among sons, even though the Qur'an clearly states that women are supposed to receive one-half of a man's share. According to Ali A. Jalali and Lester Grau, the Taliban "received extensive support from Pashtuns across the country who thought that the movement might restore their national dominance. Even Pashtun intellectuals in
2380-470: Is considered as an important political area for Afghanistan revelations. Many empires have long fought over the city due to its strategic location along the trade routes of southern , central and western Asia . In 1709, Mirwais Hotak made the region an independent kingdom and turned Kandahar into the capital of the Hotak dynasty . In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani , founder of the Durrani dynasty , made Kandahar
2499-675: Is preserved in the epic poem Qandahār-nāma ("The Campaign Against Qandahār"), a major work of Saib Tabrizi which is a classic of Persian literature. Mirwais Hotak , chief of the Ghilji tribe, revolted in 1709 by killing Gurgin Khan , an ethnic Georgian subject and governor of the Shia Safavid Persians. After establishing the Hotak dynasty in Kandahar, Mirwais and his army successfully defeated subsequent expeditions by Kay Khusraw and Rustam Khán. Mirwais resisted attempts by
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#17328019858322618-623: Is to serve and provide security for Afghans." In response to "international criticism" over lack of diversity, an ethnic Hazara was appointed deputy health minister, and an ethnic Tajik appointed deputy trade minister. On the other hand, the Ministry of Women's Affairs has been closed and its building is the new home of Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice . According to Anderson, some women still employed by
2737-621: Is well-developed, with 76.8% of the province's roads capable of carrying car traffic in all seasons. However, there are no roads in a minor portion of the province (3.3 percent). In terms of telecommunications, Kandahar City and major roadways are covered by the three major mobile networks AWCC, Roshan, and MTN. Taliban State allies Non-state allies Non-state opponents The Taliban ( / ˈ t æ l ɪ b æ n , ˈ t ɑː l ɪ b ɑː n / ; Pashto : طَالِبَانْ , romanized: Tālibān , lit. 'students'), which also refers to itself by its state name,
2856-548: The Battle of Kandahar . Kandahar remained peaceful for the next 100 years, except during 1929 when loyalists of Habibullah Kalakani (Bache Saqqaw) placed the fortified city on lock-down and began torturing its population. Nobody was allowed to enter or leave from within the city's tall defensive walls, and as a result of this many people suffered after running out of food supplies. This lasted until October 1929 when Nadir Khan and his Afghan army came to eliminate Kalakani, known as
2975-554: The Islamic Emirate reestablished. Following their return to power, the Afghanistan government budget lost 80% of its funding and food insecurity became widespread. The Taliban returned Afghanistan to many policies implemented under its previous rule, including banning women from holding almost any jobs, requiring women to wear head-to-toe coverings such as the burqa , blocking women from travelling without male guardians, and banning all education for girls. The word Taliban
3094-624: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan , is an Afghan political and militant movement with an ideology comprising elements of Pashtun nationalism and the Deobandi movement of Islamic fundamentalism . It ruled approximately 75% of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 , before it was overthrown by an American invasion after the September 11th attacks carried out by the Taliban's ally al-Qaeda . The Taliban recaptured Kabul in August 2021 following
3213-664: The NATO -led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the War in Afghanistan . In May 2002, exiled members formed the Council of Leaders based in Quetta , Pakistan. Under Hibatullah Akhundzada 's leadership, in May 2021, the Taliban launched a military offensive , that culminated in the Fall of Kabul in August 2021 and the Taliban regaining control. The Islamic Republic was dissolved and
3332-735: The Northern Alliance militia, which seized parts of northeast Afghanistan and maintained international recognition as a continuation of the Islamic State of Afghanistan . During their rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia , or Islamic law, and were widely condemned for massacres against Afghan civilians, harsh discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, denial of UN food supplies to starving civilians, destruction of cultural monuments, banning women from school and most employment, and prohibition of most music . The Taliban committed
3451-522: The Pakistani Taliban . Additionally, in Pakistan, the word Talibans is often used when referring to more than one Taliban member. In Afghanistan, the Taliban is frequently called the گرُوهْ طَالِبَانْ ( Goroh-e Taleban ), Dari term which means 'Taliban group'. As per Dari/Persian grammar, there is no "the" prefix. Meanwhile, in Pashto, a determiner is normally used and as a result,
3570-587: The Pashtun areas of east and south Afghanistan, who had been educated in traditional Islamic schools ( madāris ). Under the leadership of Mullah Omar ( r. 1996–2001 ), the movement spread through most of Afghanistan, shifting power away from the Mujahideen warlords . In 1996, the group established the First Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban's government was opposed by
3689-675: The Safavid Shah Tahmasp in return of 12,000 soldiers he received from the Shah to reconquer India. In 1595, Humayun 's son Akbar the Great reconquered the city by diplomacy. Akbar died in 1605 and when this news reached the Persian court, Shah Abbas ordered his army to besiege the city which continued until early 1606 and finally failed due to the reinforcements sent by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir that forced
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3808-745: The Sharia law in accordance with the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence and the religious edicts of Mullah Omar. The Taliban, Mullah Omar in particular, emphasised dreams as a means of revelation. The Taliban forbade the consumption of pork and alcohol, the use of many types of consumer technology such as music with instrumental accompaniments , television, filming, and the Internet, as well as most forms of art such as paintings or photography, participation in sports , including football and chess ; Recreational activities such as kite -flying and
3927-592: The Sikh invaders to what is now Pakistan. Led by Ranjit Singh , the Sikhs had captured several of Afghanistan's territories in the east, including what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir . More than 400 local Kandahar warriors assembled themselves for the jihad. Sayed Din Mohammad Kandharai was appointed as their leader. British war British-led Indian forces from neighbouring British India invaded
4046-747: The near seizure of the capital Kabul , the Taliban occupied the Presidential Palace after the incumbent President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates. Ghani's Asylum was confirmed by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on 18 August 2021. Remaining Afghan forces under the leadership of Amrullah Saleh , Ahmad Massoud , and Bismillah Khan Mohammadi retreated to Panjshir to continue resistance. The Taliban had "seized power from an established government backed by some of
4165-585: The 10th-12th centuries, but the origin of the new name is unclear. During this period, nearby Panjway served as the administrative center for the area. However, Kandahar was of much more strategic importance, to the extent that Minhaj-i-Siraj attributes the downfall of the Ghaznavids to the loss of Kandahar. The city's name was changed back to Kandahar by the 13th century, after Ala ad-Din Husayn Jahansuz sacked Lashkari Bazar , near Bost . Again,
4284-557: The 9th century, Kandahar and other regions ruled by the Zunbils were considered part of the Indian Subcontinent , though it was an Eastern Iranic realm which followed Zurvanism . In the 7th century AD , Arab armies conquered the region but failed to convert the entire population to Islam.The leader of the expedition was Abbad ibn Ziyad , who governed Sijistan between 673 and 681. In AD 870, Yaqub ibn Layth Saffari ,
4403-722: The Afghan mujahideen. About 90,000 Afghans, including Mullah Omar, were trained by Pakistan's ISI during the 1980s. In April 1992, after the fall of the Soviet-backed régime of Mohammad Najibullah , many Afghan political parties agreed on a peace and power-sharing agreement, the Peshawar Accord , which created the Islamic State of Afghanistan and appointed an interim government for a transitional period. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 's Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin , Hezbe Wahdat , and Ittihad-i Islami did not participate. The state
4522-465: The Afghan police force for the prevention of a Taliban comeback in Kandahar, the militants' "spiritual birthplace" and a strategic key to ward off the Taliban insurgency , as a part of a larger effort that also aimed to deliver services such as electricity and clean drinking water that the Taliban could not provide – encouraging support for the government in a city that was once the Taliban's headquarters. The most significant battle between NATO troops and
4641-582: The Alikozai and Barakzai, refused to give up their lands. Only the Popalzai finally offered him his pick of their lands. The foundations for the city were laid in June, 1761. Once begun, the city was built with grand proportions. It was laid out in the form of a regular rectangle with a circumference of three miles; walls 30 feet thick at the bottom and 15 feet at the top, rose 27 feet high to enclose it. Outside,
4760-565: The Guantanamo release policy was too liberal, pointing to the capture of Agha four months after his release. This was repeated by Senator Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate a year later, adding that the attack occurred near Kandahar. The US military released a list confirming his recapture in May 2007. Kandahar Kandahar ( English: / ˈ k æ n d ə h ɑːr / ; Pashto : کندهار , romanized: Kandahār ; Dari : قندهار , romanized: Qandahār )
4879-616: The Hezbe Wahdat forces of Abdul-Ali Mazari . Saudi Arabia supported the Ittihad-i Islami faction. The conflict between these militias also escalated into war. Due to this sudden initiation of civil war, working government departments, police units or a system of justice and accountability for the newly created Islamic State of Afghanistan did not have time to form. Atrocities were committed by individuals inside different factions. Ceasefires, negotiated by representatives of
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4998-527: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan continue, with education policies and international relations, including internal and external challenges faced by the Taliban regime. In mid 2021, the Taliban led a major offensive in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of US troops from the country, which gave them control of over half of Afghanistan's 421 districts as of 23 July 2021. By mid-August 2021, the Taliban controlled every major city in Afghanistan; following
5117-714: The Islamic State's newly appointed Defense Minister Ahmad Shah Massoud , President Sibghatullah Mojaddedi and later President Burhanuddin Rabbani (the interim government), or officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), commonly collapsed within days. The countryside in northern Afghanistan, parts of which were under the control of Defense Minister Massoud, remained calm and some reconstruction took place. The city of Herat under
5236-778: The Mujahideen. Pakistan's President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq feared that the Soviets were also planning to invade Balochistan , Pakistan, so he sent Akhtar Abdur Rahman to Saudi Arabia to garner support for the Afghan resistance against Soviet occupation forces. A while later, the US CIA and the Saudi Arabian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) funnelled funding and equipment through the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Agency (ISI) to
5355-668: The Persian government who were seeking to convert the Afghans from Sunni to the Shia sect of Islam. He died of a natural death in November 1715 and was succeeded by his brother Abdul Aziz , but after being suspected of giving Kandahar's sovereignty back to the Persians he was killed by his nephew Mahmud Hotak . In 1722, Mahmud led an army of Afghans to the Safavid capital Isfahan and proclaimed himself King of Persia. The Hotak dynasty
5474-587: The Safavid retreat. In the Mughal–Safavid War , Kandahar was once again lost to the Safavids. In 1698, Mughals under Samandar Khan of Kalat State captured Kandahar again. Kandahar was regarded as important to the Mughal Empire because it was one of the gateways to India, and Mughal control over Kandahar helped to prevent foreign intrusions. The memory of the wars fought over Kandahar at this time
5593-480: The Tajik bandit from the village of Kalakan in northern Kabul Province. During Zahir Shah 's rule, the city slowly began expanding by adding modern style streets and housing schemes. In the 1960s, during the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, Kandahar International Airport was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers next to the city. The U.S. also completed several other major projects in Kandahar and in other parts of southern Afghanistan. In
5712-430: The Taliban destroyed the statues, following a decree by Mullah Omar which stated: "all the statues around Afghanistan must be destroyed." Yahya Massoud, brother of the anti-Taliban and resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud , recalls the following incident after the destruction of the Buddha statues at Bamyan: It was the spring of 2001. I was in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley, together with my brother Ahmad Shah Massoud ,
5831-461: The Taliban had little direct control, and as a result, they promoted village jirgas , so in rural areas, they did not enforce their ideology as stringently as they enforced it in cities. The Taliban's religious/political philosophy, especially during its first régime from 1996 to 2001, was heavily advised and influenced by Grand Mufti Rashid Ahmed Ludhianvi and his works. Its operating political and religious principles since its founding, however,
5950-444: The Taliban implemented strict religious regulations, notably affecting women's rights and cultural heritage. This period included significant ethnic persecution and the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan . After the US-led invasion in 2001, the Taliban were ousted from power but regrouped and launched an insurgency that lasted two decades. The Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the US withdrawal . Their efforts to establish
6069-489: The Taliban instituted a ban on all education for all girls and women around the country alongside a ban on female staff in schools, including teaching professions. Teaching was one of the last few remaining professions open to women. The Taliban's ideology has been described as an "innovative form of sharia combining Pashtun tribal codes", or Pashtunwali , with radical Deobandi interpretations of Islam favoured by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and its splinter groups. Their ideology
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#17328019858326188-435: The Taliban lasted throughout the summer of 2006, culminating in Operation Medusa . The Taliban failed to defeat the Western troops in open warfare, which marked a turn in their tactics towards IED emplacement. In June 2008, it was reported that over 1,000 inmates had escaped from Sarposa prison . In Spring 2010, the province and the city of Kandahar became a target of American operations following Operation Moshtarak in
6307-479: The Taliban nominee for Ambassador to the U.N. told Anderson "The Hazara Shia for us are also Muslim. We believe we are one, like flowers in a garden." In late 2021, journalists from The New York Times embedded with a six-man Taliban unit tasked with protecting the Shi'ite Sakhi Shrine in Kabul from the Islamic State , noting "how seriously the men appeared to take their assignment." The unit's commander said that "We do not care which ethnic group we serve, our goal
6426-399: The Taliban's governance of Afghanistan, drug users and dealers were both severely persecuted. In 1999, Mullah Omar issued a decree in which he called for the protection of the Buddha statues at Bamyan , two 6th-century monumental statues of standing buddhas which were carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. But in March 2001,
6545-406: The U.N. World Food Program country director, Mary Ellen McGroarty, as of late 2021, early 2022 "22.8 million Afghans are already severely food insecure, and seven million of them are one step away from famine"; and that the world community has "unanimously" asked the Taliban "to form an inclusive government, ensure the rights of women and minorities and guarantee that Afghanistan will no more serve as
6664-401: The United States, in discussions with American journalist Jon Lee Anderson. Anderson notes that the Taliban's war against any " graven images ", so vigorous in their early rule, has been abandoned, perhaps made impossible by smartphones and Instagram. One local observer (Sayed Hamid Gailani) has argued the Taliban have not killed "a lot" of people after returning to power. Women are seen out on
6783-457: The West, who differed with the Taliban on many issues, expressed support for the movement on purely ethnic grounds." Written works published by the group's Commission of Cultural Affairs including Islami Adalat , De Mujahid Toorah – De Jihad Shari Misalay, and Guidance to the Mujahideen outlined the core of the Taliban Islamic Movement's philosophy regarding jihad, sharia, organization, and conduct. The Taliban régime interpreted
6902-400: The area. About a month later, the Taliban began surrendering in mass numbers to a private militia that had been formed by Gul Agha Sherzai and Hamid Karzai . Kandahar once again fell into the hands of Sherzai, who had control over the area before the rise of the Taliban. He was transferred in 2003 and replaced by Yousef Pashtun until Asadullah Khalid took the post in 2005. Toryalai Wesa
7021-401: The assassination city of Afghanistan after witnessing many targeted killings. In July Ahmed Wali Karzai , brother of President Hamid Karzai, was shot by his long time head of security. Soon after the Quetta Shura of the Taliban claimed responsibility. The next day an Islamic cleric (mulla) of the famous Red Mosque in the Shahr-e Naw area of the city and a number of other people were killed by
7140-440: The attacks are ordinary Afghan civilians. On 6 June 2012, at least 21 civilians were killed and 50 others injured when two Taliban suicide bombers on motorcycles blew themselves up in a market area near Kandahar International Airport. On 4 May 2020 , a policewoman was assassinated in the centre of Kandahar, making her the fifth policewoman to be killed during the previous two months in Kandahar. No group claimed responsibility for
7259-486: The capital of Afghanistan being Kabul, where the government administration is based, Kandahar is the seat of power in Afghanistan as the supreme leader and his spiritual advisers are based there. Kandahar has therefore been called the de facto capital of Afghanistan , though the Taliban maintain Kabul is the capital. Kandahar is one of the most culturally significant cities of the Pashtuns community and has been their traditional seat of power for more than 300 years. It
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#17328019858327378-465: The capital of the Afghan Empire . The modern name of the city derives from the name of the original city built here, Alexandria . This city (often referred to as Alexandria in Arachosia to distinguish it from other Alexandrias ) was founded after the invasion of Alexander the Great in 330 BC. The name "Alexander" in the local Pashto language is rendered as "Iskandar". It is believed that over time this transformed into "Scandar" , and eventually
7497-413: The city in 1839, during the First Anglo-Afghan War , but withdrew in 1842. In November 1855, Dost Mohammad Khan conquered Kandahar. The British and Indian forces returned in 1878 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War . They emerged from the city in July 1880 to confront the forces of Ayub Khan , but were defeated at the Battle of Maiwand . They were again forced to withdraw a few years later, despite winning
7616-432: The city, and fighting in 1993. During this time, banditry, rape, and murder became rampant in Kandahar, creating a demand for a more moral and unified alternative. This led to the rise of the talibs (students), who eventually formed the Taliban movement. By the spring of 1994, the nucleus of the Taliban emirate had begun to take shape, and that year, they launched operations to dismantle warlord militia checkpoints around
7735-442: The city. Government and Soviet troops surrounded the city and subjected it to heavy air bombardment in which many civilians lost their lives. In January 1982 indiscriminate shelling and bombing by the Soviets killed hundreds. 300 civilians were killed during Soviet bombings in July 1984. It was under siege again in April 1986. The city's population was reduced from 200,000 before the war to no more than 25,000 inhabitants, following
7854-471: The city. The talibs gained considerable popularity and legitimacy during this period by defeating these predatory warlords. In August 1994, the Taliban, under Mohammed Omar Mujahid , captured Kandahar from commander Mullah Naqib almost without a fight and turned the city into their headquarters. The capture of Afghanistan's second-largest city marked the Taliban's transformation from a fledgling militia into an Islamic emirate, solidifying their legitimacy as
7973-438: The country. The 205th Corps of the Afghan National Army was based at Kandahar and provided military assistance to the south of the country. The Canadian Forces maintained their military command headquarters at Kandahar, heading the Regional Command South of the NATO led International Security Assistance Force in Kandahar Province . The Taliban also had supporters inside the city reporting on events. NATO forces expanded
8092-467: The day. This was contradicted by former senior members of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, one of which who told Anderson, "they will do anything to convince the international community to give them financing, but eventually I'll be forced to wear the burqa again. They are just waiting." After Taliban retook power in 2021, border clashes erupted between the Taliban with its neighbors includes Iran and Pakistan , leading to casualties on both sides. In
8211-421: The departure of coalition forces , after 20 years of Taliban insurgency , and now controls the entire country. The Taliban government is not recognized by any country and has been internationally condemned for restricting human rights , including women 's rights to work and have an education . The Taliban emerged in 1994 as a prominent faction in the Afghan Civil War and largely consisted of students from
8330-496: The early 1990s, driven in part by the divide-and-rule tactics of the communist governor-general, Nur ul-Haq Ulumi , who manipulated rival mujahideen factions against each other, and by the rampant greed within both the communist and mujahideen militias. After the Soviet withdrawal and the collapse of Najibullah 's government in 1992, Kandahar fell to local mujahideen commander, Gul Agha Sherzai . However Sherzai lacked authority against other local commanders which led to lawlessness in
8449-490: The early months of Taliban rule, international journalists have had some access to Afghanistan. In February 2022, several international journalists, including Andrew North were detained. The Committee to Protect Journalists described their detention as "a sad reflection of the overall decline of press freedom and increasing attacks on journalists under Taliban rule." The journalists were released after several days. Subsequently, watchdog organizations have continued to document
8568-515: The empire, Chandragupta Maurya , confronted a Macedonian invasion force led by Seleucus I in 305 BC and following a brief conflict, an agreement was reached as Seleucus ceded Gandhara and Arachosia and areas south of Bagram to the Mauryas. During the 120 years of the Mauryas in southern Afghanistan, Buddhism was introduced and eventually become a major religion alongside Zoroastrianism and local pagan beliefs. Inscriptions made by Emperor Ashoka,
8687-588: The finds from Deh Morasi and Said Qala tie in with those of pre- Indus Valley sites and with those of comparable age on the Iranian Plateau and in Central Asia, indicating cultural contacts during this very early age. British excavations in the 1970s discovered that Kandahar existed as a large fortified city during the early 1st millennium BC; while this earliest period at Kandahar has not been precisely dated via radiocarbon , ceramic comparisons with
8806-630: The former sole Sikh member of parliament, Narendra Singh Khalsa , returned to Afghanistan for the first time since the collapse of the Republic. In September 2021, the government ordered primary schools to reopen for both sexes and announced plans to reopen secondary schools for male students, without committing to do the same for female students. While the Taliban stated that female college students will be able to resume higher education provided that they are segregated from male students (and professors, when possible), The Guardian noted that "if
8925-517: The foundation for a new town to be built next to the destroyed ancient city, naming it " Naderabad ". His rule ended in June 1747 after being murdered by his Persian guards. Ahmad Shah Durrani, chief of the Durrani tribe, gained control of Kandahar and made it the capital of his new Afghan Empire in October 1747. Initially, Ahmad Shah had trouble finding land on which to build his city. His own tribe had no extensive lands and others who had, such as
9044-446: The government are "being forced to sign in at their jobs and then go home, to create the illusion of equity"; and the appointment of ethnic minorities has been dismissed by an "adviser to the Taliban" as tokenism. Reports have "circulated" of "Hazara farmers being forced from their land by ethnic Pashtuns, of raids of activists' homes, and of extrajudicial executions of former government soldiers and intelligence agents". According to
9163-711: The group is normally referred to as per Pashto grammar: دَ طَالِبَانْ ( Da Taliban ) or دَ طَالِبَانُو ( Da Talibano ). After the Soviet Union intervened and occupied Afghanistan in 1979, Islamic mujahideen fighters waged a war against Soviet forces. During the Soviet–Afghan War , nearly all of the Taliban's original leaders had fought for either the Hezb-i Islami Khalis or the Harakat-i Inqilab-e Islami factions of
9282-486: The high schools do not reopen for girls, the commitments to allow university education would become meaningless once the current cohort of students graduated." Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani said that female university students will be required to observe proper hijab , but did not specify if this required covering the face. Kabul University reopened in February 2022, with female students attending in
9401-732: The keeping of pigeons and other pets were also forbidden, and the birds were killed according to the Taliban's rules. Movie theatres were closed and repurposed as mosques. The celebration of the Western and Iranian New Years was also forbidden. Taking photographs and displaying pictures and portraits were also forbidden, because the Taliban considered them forms of idolatry . This extended even to "blacking out illustrations on packages of baby soap in shops and painting over road-crossing signs for livestock. Women were banned from working, girls were forbidden to attend schools or universities, were required to observe purdah (physical separation of
9520-431: The killing of the policewomen by the end of the day of the reported event. On 12 August 2021, the Taliban captured Kandahar . After days of brutal clashes with ANA soldiers retreating from the city, the Taliban were finally able to capture the city. It became the twelfth provincial capital to be seized by Taliban as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive . On 15 October 2021, four suicide bombers killed dozens at
9639-474: The latest period at the major Bronze Age city of Mundigak have suggested an approximate time-frame of 1000 to 750 BC. This fortified city became an important outpost of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th to 4th centuries BC, and formed part of the province of Arachosia . Foundation of city and Greek invasion The now known " Old Kandahar " was founded in 330 BC by Alexander the Great , near
9758-455: The launching pad for global terrorist operations", before it recognizes the Taliban government. In conversation with journalist Anderson, senior Taliban leaders implied that the harsh application of sharia during their first era of rule in the 1990s was necessary because of the "depravity" and "chaos" that remained from the Soviet occupation, but that now "mercy and compassion" were the order of
9877-609: The leader of the Afghan resistance against the Taliban, and Bismillah Khan, who currently serves as Afghanistan's interior minister. One of our commanders, Commandant Momin, wanted us to see 30 Taliban fighters who had been taken hostage after a gun battle. My brother agreed to meet them. I remember that his first question concerned the centuries-old Buddha statues that were dynamited by the Taliban in March of that year, shortly before our encounter. Two Taliban combatants from Kandahar confidently responded that worshiping anything outside of Islam
9996-477: The location being fertile and historically known for producing fine grapes, pomegranates , apricots , melons and other sweet fruits. Ernst Herzfeld claimed Kandahar perpetuated the name of the Indo-Parthian king Gondophares , who re-founded the city under the name Gundopharron. However, modern historians and linguists generally find this derivation implausible. An alternative etymology derives
10115-442: The meantime, Soviet engineers were busy building major infrastructures in other parts of the country, such as Bagram Airfield and Kabul International Airport . During the 1980s, Soviet–Afghan War , Kandahar city (and the province as a whole) witnessed heavy fighting as it became a centre of resistance as the mujahideen forces waged a strong guerrilla warfare against the Soviet-backed government , who tightly held on control of
10234-507: The modern "Kandahar" . The change of the name from "Scandar" to Candar is mentioned by the 16th-century Portuguese historian João de Barros in his most famous work, Décadas da Ásia . A folk etymology offered is that the word "kand" or "qand" in Persian and Pashto (the local languages) is the origin of the word " candy ". The name "Candahar" or "Kandahar" in this form probably translates to candy area. This probably has to do with
10353-442: The morning and males in the afternoon. Other than the closure of the music department, few changes to the curriculum were reported. Female students were officially required to wear an abaya and a hijab to attend, although some wore a shawl instead. Attendance was reportedly low on the first day. In March 2022, the Taliban abruptly halted plans to allow girls to resume secondary school education even when separated from males. At
10472-1877: The name of the city from Gandhara , the name of an ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom located between the Kunar River and Abaseen River, centred on the Peshawar Valley . The name Kandahar ( Sanskrit : कंधार ) is believed to be linguistically corrupted form of a word Gandhāra ( Sanskrit : गंधार ), which was used between 2000-1700 BCE. Macedonia 330 BC–312 BC Seleucid Empire 312 BC–304 BC Maurya Empire 304 BC–204 BC Seleucid Empire 204 BC–c. 180 BC Greco-Bactrian Kingdom 180 BC-c. 150 BC Yavana Kingdom c. 150 BC–142 BC Indo-Scythians 142 BC–32 BC Parthian Empire 32 BC–19 CE Indo-Parthian Kingdom 19–36 Kushan Empire 36–230 Sasanian Empire 230–645 Rashidun Caliphate 645–661 Umayyad Caliphate 661–750 [REDACTED] Abbasid Caliphate 750-861 Saffarid dynasty 861–977 Ghaznavid Empire 977–1175 Ghurid dynasty 1175-1207 Khwarazmian Empire 1207–1222 Mongol Empire 1222-1256 [REDACTED] Ilkhanate 1256-1347 Kart dynasty 1347-1382 [REDACTED] Timurid Empire 1382-1507 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1507–1649 [REDACTED] Safavid Empire 1649-1711 [REDACTED] Hotak dynasty 1711–1738 [REDACTED] Afsharid Empire 1738–1747 Durrani Empire 1747–1818 [REDACTED] Principality of Kandahar 1818-1839 [REDACTED] United Kingdom ( Company Raj ) 1839-1842 [REDACTED] Principality of Kandahar 1842-1855 [REDACTED] Afghanistan 1855–present Excavations of prehistoric sites by archaeologists such as Louis Dupree and others suggest that
10591-414: The neighbouring Helmand Province . In March 2010, U.S. and NATO commanders released details of plans for the biggest offensive of the war against the Taliban insurgency. In May 2010, Kandahar International Airport became subject of a combined rocket and ground attack by insurgents, following similar attacks on Kabul and Bagram in the preceding weeks. Although this attack did not lead to many casualties on
10710-652: The passengers hostage as part of a demand to release three Pakistani militants from prison in India. In October 2001, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom , the United States Navy began hitting targets inside the city by precision-guided cruise missiles that were fired from the Persian Gulf . These targets were the airport and buildings that were occupied by the Taliban, including Arab families who had arrived several years earlier and were residing in
10829-698: The reason for the name change is not clear. Mongols Kandahar was besieged by a Mongol army in 1221, although Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu defeated them. In 1251, upon accession to the Mongol throne, Möngke Khan granted Kandahar, along with other lands in Afghanistan, to Shams ad-Din Mohammad Kart of the Kart dynasty . However, the city is mentioned as being under Chagatai control in 1260–61; Kandahar didn't come under Kart control until 1281. Later, in 1318,
10948-422: The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements known so far. Early peasant farming villages came into existence in Afghanistan ca. 5000 B.C., or 7000 years ago. Deh Morasi Ghundai, the first prehistoric site to be excavated in Afghanistan, lies 27 km (17 mi) southwest of Kandahar (Dupree, 1951). Another Bronze Age village mound site with multiroomed mud-brick buildings dating from
11067-573: The relative moderation of the new Taliban government and statements from its officials such as – "We have started a new page. We do not want to be entangled with the past," –?include that it did not expect to take over the country so quickly and still had "problems to work out among" their factions"; that $ 7 billion in Afghan government funds in US banks has been frozen, and that the 80% of the previous government's budget that came from "the United States, its partners, or international lenders", has been shut off, creating serious economic crisis; according to
11186-581: The religious schools of Kandahar and were influenced significantly by foreign support, particularly from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, during the Soviet–Afghan War. They emerged in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s, capturing Kandahar and expanding their control across the country; they became involved in a war with the Northern Alliance . The international response to the Taliban varied, with some countries providing support while others opposed and did not recognize their regime. During their rule from 1996 to 2001,
11305-485: The rule of Islamic State ally Ismail Khan also witnessed relative calm. Meanwhile, southern Afghanistan was neither under the control of foreign-backed militias nor the government in Kabul, but was ruled by local leaders such as Gul Agha Sherzai and their militias. The Taliban movement originated in Pashtun nationalism , and its ideological underpinnings are with that of broader Afghan society. The Taliban's roots lie in
11424-584: The same period sits nearby at Said Qala (J. Shaffer, 1970). Second millennium B.C. Bronze Age pottery , copper and bronze horse trappings and stone seals were found in the lowermost levels in the nearby cave called Shamshir Ghar (Dupree, 1950). In the Seistan , southwest of these Kandahar sites, two teams of American archaeologists discovered sites relating to the 2nd millennium B.C. (G. Dales, University Museum, University of Pennsylvania , 1969, 1971; W, Trousdale, Smithsonian Institution , 1971 – 76). Stylistically
11543-533: The security forces were also killed by the Taliban within days of registering with them to receive a letter guaranteeing their safety. Despite Taliban claims that the ISIS has been defeated, IS carried out suicide bombings in October 2021 at Shia mosques in Kunduz and Kandahar , killing over 115 people. As of late 2021, there were still "sticky bomb" explosions "every few days" in the capital Kabul. Explanations for
11662-400: The sexes) and awrah (concealing the body with clothing), and to be accompanied by male relatives outside their households; those who violated these restrictions were punished. Men were forbidden to shave their beards and they were also required to let them grow and keep them long according to the Taliban's rules, and they were also required to wear turbans outside their households. Prayer
11781-404: The side of NATO forces, it did show that the militants are still capable of launching multiple, coordinated operations in Afghanistan. In June 2010, a shura was held by Afghan President Hamid Karzai with tribal and religious leaders of the Kandahar region. The meeting highlighted the need for support of NATO-led forces in order to stabilize parts of the province. By 2011, Kandahar became known as
11900-560: The site of Kandahar, probably as early as c. 1000–750 BC, and it became an important outpost of the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire in the 6th century BC. Alexander the Great had laid-out the foundation of what is now Old Kandahar (which is in the southern section of Kandahar city) in the 4th century BC and gave it the Ancient Greek name Ἀλεξάνδρεια Ἀραχωσίας ( Alexandria of Arachosia ). Historically, this province
12019-636: The site of the ancient city of Mundigak (established around 3000 BC era). Mundigak served as the provincial capital of Arachosia and was ruled by the Medes followed by the Achaemenids until the arrival of the Macedonians. The main inhabitants of Arachosia were the Pakhtas , an ancient Indo-Iranian tribe, who might have been among the ancestors of today's Pashtuns . Kandahar was named Alexandria ,
12138-402: The spelling Taliban has gained predominance over the spelling Taleban . In American English , the definite article is used, the group is referred to as "the Taliban", rather than "Taliban". In English-language media in Pakistan, the definite article is always omitted. Both Pakistani and Indian English -language media tend to name the group "Afghan Taliban", thus distinguishing it from
12257-423: The street, Zabihullah Mujahid (acting Deputy Minister of Information and Culture) noted there are still women working in a number of government ministries, and claimed that girls will be allowed to attend secondary education when bank funds are unfrozen and the government can fund "separate" spaces and transportation for them. When asked about the slaughter of Hazara Shia by the first Taliban régime, Suhail Shaheen,
12376-724: The time by the U.S. Armed Forces . He was then transferred on February 7, 2003, to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . He was put with two other teenagers, Naqibullah and Asadullah , in Camp Iguana , the section of Guantanamo built for juveniles. Unlike other detainees, those in Camp Iguana were not shackled and hooded, and did not wear orange boiler suits. They were given classes in Pashto (their native language), English , Arabic , Islam , mathematics , science , and art . While there, they learned to read and write. Their camp had
12495-436: The time, The Washington Post reported that apart from university students, "sixth is now the highest grade girls may attend". The Afghan Ministry of Education cited the lack of an acceptable design for female student uniforms. On December 20, 2022, in violation of their prior promises, the Taliban banned female students from attending higher education institutions with immediate effect. The following day, December 21, 2022,
12614-742: The walls were ringed by a moat 24 feet wide. Six mammoth gateways pierced these walls: the Eid Gah Gate on the north, the Shikarpur Gate on the south; the Herat and Top Khana Gates on the west; and, the Bar Durrani and Kabul Gates on the east. At its peak, Ahmad Shah's empire included present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Khorasan and Kohistan provinces of Iran, along with Punjab in India. In October 1772, Ahmad Shah retired and died from
12733-515: The world's best-equipped militaries"; and as an ideological insurgent movement dedicated to "bringing about a truly Islamic state" its victory has been compared to that of the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949 or Iranian Revolution of 1979, with their "sweeping" remake of society. However, as of 2021–2022, senior Taliban leaders have emphasized the "softness" of their revolution and how they desired "good relations" with
12852-815: Was a departure from the Islamism of the anti-Soviet mujahideen rulers and the radical Islamists inspired by the Sayyid Qutb (Ikhwan). The Taliban have said they aim to restore peace and security to Afghanistan, including Western troops leaving, and to enforce Sharia , or Islamic law, once in power. According to journalist Ahmed Rashid , at least in the first years of their rule, the Taliban adopted Deobandi and Islamist anti-nationalist beliefs, and they opposed "tribal and feudal structures", removing traditional tribal or feudal leaders from leadership roles. The Taliban strictly enforced their ideology in major cities like Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar. But in rural areas,
12971-576: Was also forbidden under the six-year rule of the Taliban régime. Under the rule of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, it carried the death penalty . The practice remained illegal during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's rule, but the laws were seldom enforced against powerful offenders and police had reportedly been complicit in related crimes. A controversy arose during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's rule, after allegations surfaced that US government forces in Afghanistan after
13090-528: Was appointed Governor of the province by President Hamid Karzai in December 2008 after Rahmatullah Raufi 's four-month rule. In 2002, Kandahar International Airport started to be used by members of the United States armed forces and NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). NATO began training the newly formed Afghan National Police and provided security responsibility of the city. The military of Afghanistan , backed by NATO forces, gradually expanded its authority and presence throughout most of
13209-571: Was detained by Afghan soldiers in Girishk for attempting to join the Taliban to fight against Americans, a charge he denied. At the time, he would have been aged between 13 and 14 years old. He was then transferred to the United States at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. During this time, he says he was held in solitary confinement and subjected to sleep deprivation and stress position , both enhanced interrogation techniques used at
13328-646: Was established eventually between the Greeks and the Mauryas (Indians). The city eventually became part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (250 BC – 125 BC), and continued that way for two hundred years under the later Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BC – 10 AD). While the Diadochi were warring amongst themselves, the Mauryas were developing in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent . The founder of
13447-484: Was eventually removed from power by a new Persian ruler, Nader Shah . In 1738, Nader Shah invaded Afghanistan and destroyed the now Old Kandahar , which was held by Hussain Hotak and his Ghilji tribes. In the meantime, Nader Shah freed Ahmad Khan (later Ahmad Shah Durrani ) and his brother Zulfikar who were held prisoners by the Hotak ruler. Before leaving southern Afghanistan for Delhi in India, Nader Shah laid out
13566-435: Was made compulsory and those men who did not respect the religious obligation after the azaan were arrested. Gambling was banned, and the Taliban punished thieves by amputating their hands or feet . In 2000, the Taliban's leader Mullah Omar officially banned opium cultivation and drug trafficking in Afghanistan; the Taliban succeeded in nearly eradicating the majority of the opium production (99%) by 2001. During
13685-646: Was modelled on those of Abul A'la Maududi and the Jamaat-e-Islami movement. The Taliban, being largely Pashtun tribesmen, frequently follow a pre-Islamic cultural tribal code which is focused on preserving honour. Pashtunwali strongly influences decisions in regards to other social matters. It is best described as subconscious social values and attitudes which promote various qualities such as bravery, preserving honour, being hospitable to all guests, seeking revenge and justice if one has been wronged, and providing sanctuary to anyone who seeks refuge, even if it
13804-579: Was paralysed from the start, due to rival groups contending for total power over Kabul and Afghanistan. Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin party refused to recognise the interim government, and in April infiltrated Kabul to take power for itself, thus starting this civil war. In May, Hekmatyar started attacks against government forces and Kabul. Hekmatyar received operational, financial and military support from Pakistan's ISI. With that help, Hekmatyar's forces were able to destroy half of Kabul. Iran assisted
13923-719: Was ruled by other Timurid governors. Kandahar was entrusted to the Arghuns in the late 15th century, who eventually achieved independence from the Timurids. Guru Nanak , the founder of Sikhism , is believed to have visited the town (c. 1521 AD) during his important journey between Hindustan and Mecca in Arabia. Mughal and Safavid Era Tamerlane's descendant, Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire , annexed Kandahar in 1508. In 1554, Babur's son, Humayun , handed it over to
14042-504: Was transported to Bagram along with the other two juvenile detainees and released on January 29, 2004; a Red Cross plane took him from there to Kandahar . Agha was recaptured in May 2004, while participating in an attack on US forces near Kandahar, and was carrying documentation linking him to the Taliban. In June 2005, Representative Duncan Hunter , chairman of the House Armed Services Committee , said that
14161-552: Was unacceptable and that therefore these statues had to be destroyed. My brother looked at them and said, this time in Pashto, 'There are still many sun- worshippers in this country. Will you also try to get rid of the sun and drop darkness over the Earth?' The Afghan custom of bacha bazi , a form of pederastic sexual slavery , child sexual abuse and pedophilia which is traditionally practiced in various provinces of Afghanistan between older men and young adolescent "dancing boys",
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