Misplaced Pages

#129870

120-521: On 15 August 2021, Maidan Shar was seized by Taliban fighters, becoming the twenty-seventh provincial capital to be captured by the Taliban as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive . The city of Maidan Shar has a population of 14,265. It has 4 districts and a total land area of 3,347 hectares. The total number of dwellings in Maidan Shar is 1,585. Zarifa Ghafari became the mayor in 2019, she

240-564: 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

360-608: 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

480-494: A "game changer" coined the term "Stinger effect" to describe it. However, these statistics are based on Mujahedin self-reporting, which is of unknown reliability. A Russian general however claimed the United States "greatly exaggerated" Soviet and Afghan aircraft losses during the war. The mujahidin were heavily backed by Pakistan (through the Inter-Services Intelligence ) and the United States (through

600-606: 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,

720-686: A looming civil war. Sibghatullah Mojaddedi , a leader of Islamic mysticism and a hazrat , was one of the original leaders of an organized anti-government armed group. He created an organization named the Afghan National Liberation Front ( Jabha-i Nejat-i Milli ) and on May 25, 1979, appealed for support in New York City. Sayyed Ahmad Gailani , a spiritual leader ( pir ), also created a resistance organization during this time, called National Islamic Front ( Mahaz-e-Millie-Islami ). Mawlawi Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi ,

840-852: A more broad coalition was created, named Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahidin (IUAM), comprising the four main Islamist and three moderate groups. It was also nicknamed the Seven Party Mujahidin Alliance , the Peshawar Seven , and the Seven Dwarves . In 1989 under the patronage of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, An Afghan Interim Government (AIG) was formed in Pakistan to coincide with the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The Interim Government had been in exile in Pakistan since 1988. The Interim Government

960-654: A new organization based in Peshawar , Pakistan, aiming to establish an Islamic Republic . Other rebel movements were also active throughout the country, including Hazara tribes that had some 5,000 men as of August 1979. A broad mujahidin had existed as a de facto political bloc since May 1979, when the Pakistani government decided to limit the flow of financial aid to the said seven organizations, thus cutting off monetary supply to nationalist and left-wing resistance groups. The Soviet operation of December 1979 turned

1080-469: 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,

1200-619: A religious scholar and former member of parliament in the Kingdom, formed the Revolutionary Islamic Movement (Harakat-e-Inqilab-e-Islami); he was well known for assaulting prominent leftist Babrak Karmal inside the House of Representatives in 1966. On August 11, 1979, the Afghan National Liberation Front along with three others groups ( Jamiat-i Islami , Hezb-i Islami Khalis , and Revolutionary Islamic Movement) formed

1320-576: A second civil war , which saw the large-scale collapse of the united Afghan mujahidin and the victorious emergence of the Taliban , which established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan shortly after taking most of the country in 1996. The Taliban groups were then ousted in 2001 during the War in Afghanistan , but regrouped and retook the country in 2021. Certain organisations that would later form

SECTION 10

#1732791702130

1440-554: A superpower, the lack of unity showed weaknesses in the guerillas, such as the lack of a clear political strategy. In an attempt to dissuade infighting and develop a de facto functioning proto state , Ahmad Shah Massoud created the Shura-e Nazar in 1984, an offshoot of the Jamiat faction. Shura-e Nazar was created as a military–political combination and consisted of an organized structure dealing with health and education in

1560-602: A traditionalist group, controlled the Hazarajat at first, but pro-Iran Khomeinist groups challenged them and took control of the region from them. By the mid-1980s the strongest of these was Sazman-i Nasr , while Shura-i Inqilab-i Ittifaq was prominent only in Maidan Wardak . They united as the " Tehran Eight " in 1987 (so-called due to Iranian support). In 1989, most of these merged into one group, Hezb-e Wahdat . There were also Maoist militias that fought against

1680-559: A united movement. The resistance parties remained deeply divided along ethnic, ideological and personal lines, despite internal and external pressures to unite. Dutch journalist Jere Van Dyk reported in 1981 that the guerillas were effectively fighting two civil wars: one against the regime and the Soviets, and another among themselves. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 's Hizb-i Islami was most cited as the initiator of cross-mujahidin clashes. Through

1800-533: 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

1920-581: 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

2040-578: Is located in the north eastern part of Wardak Province. It is surrounded by the Arghandeh and Paghman mountains of Kabul Province and the Jalrez and Nirkh districts of Wardak Province. It has an area of 345 km. Its elevation above sea level is 2,225 meters. The district consists of 59 main villages and 1 sub-village. The majority of people in Maidan Shar are engaged in agriculture, livestock, gardening and trade. The overall economical status of

2160-540: Is the warmest month of the year, with an average temperature of 20.8 °C. The coldest month, January, has an average temperature of -7.4 °C. Maidan Shar is an urban village located 40 km west of Kabul. The majority of the land is not occupied or utilized with barren land and vacant plots combining for 81% of total land use. Institutional land is the second largest built-up land use (22%). Residential dwellings are concentrated in Districts 1 and 2. Maidan Shar

2280-623: 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

2400-649: The Arab states of the Persian Gulf . By May 1980, mujahidin controlled virtually all of rural Afghanistan, and these regions were cleared of Khalqists and Parchamites . With the exception of parts of the north near the Soviet border (under Abdul Rashid Dostum 's command), along with several cities, mujahidin guerillas were in control of most of the country as of 1987. As of 1985, the Jamiat-i Islami held

2520-774: The Central Intelligence Agency ), also receiving backing primarily from Saudi Arabia and the People's Republic of China , while more covert support came from the United Kingdom , Egypt , and West Germany (through the Federal Intelligence Service ). The Hezb-i Islami Gulbuddin faction received the lion's share of weapons from the ISI and CIA. While Ahmad Shah Massoud's group was supported by Britain's MI6 and trained and supplied by

SECTION 20

#1732791702130

2640-776: The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the Soviet Union during the Soviet–Afghan War and the subsequent First Afghan Civil War . The term mujahid (from Arabic: مجاهدين ) is used in a religious context by Muslims to refer to those engaged in a struggle of any nature for the sake of Islam , commonly referred to as jihad ( جهاد ). The Afghan mujahidin consisted of numerous groups that differed from each other across ethnic and/or ideological lines, but were united by their anti-communist and pro-Islamic goals. The coalition of anti-Soviet Muslim militias

2760-691: The Gulf War , U.S. and Saudi officials indicated that they would stop funding both commanders, but this did not happen. However, the CIA and Saudi intelligence pressured the ISI to send captured Iraqi tanks to Haqqani instead of Hekmatyar. In 1993, it was reported that some Mujahidin were deployed in the Caucusus to fight the forces of Armenia in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War . Afghan mujahidin fighters have also been reportedly involved in

2880-490: 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

3000-624: 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

3120-665: 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

3240-735: 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

3360-466: 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,

3480-587: 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

3600-562: The SAS . Britain's support to the Afghan resistance turned out to be Whitehall 's most extensive covert operation since the Second World War . The CIA's Operation Cyclone was said to be its "largest and 'most successful' covert operation ever." Pakistan controlled which rebels received assistance: the four "fundamentalist" factions received most of the funding. A large amount of funding also came from private donors and charities from

3720-745: 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

Maidan Shar - Misplaced Pages Continue

3840-425: The United Kingdom , as well as other countries and private international donors. The basic units of the mujahidin continued to reflect the highly decentralized nature of Afghan society and strong loci of competing Pashtun tribal groups , which had formed a union with other Afghan groups under intense American, Saudi Arabian and Pakistani pressure. The alliance sought to function as a united diplomatic front towards

3960-596: The civil war in Tajikistan during 1992–1993. After Najibullah's government collapsed, the Mujahidin factions (apart from Hezb-i Islami Gulbuddin ) signed a power sharing agreement (the Peshawar Accord ) and captured Kabul on April 28, 1992, celebrating their " Victory Day ". However, the divisions between the various factions were still there and it was a catalyst that led to another civil war between

4080-569: The communist government of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan , which had taken power in the 1978 Saur Revolution , and the Soviet Union, which had invaded the country in support of the former. There were many ideologically different factions among the mujahidin, with the most influential being the Jamiat-e Islami and Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin parties. The Afghan mujahidin were generally divided into two distinct alliances:

4200-402: The mujahideen had already existed, such as Jamiat-e Islami in 1972 and Hezb-e Islami in 1976, as militias and paramilitary groups. The two organizations first took part in the 1975 Panjshir Valley and Laghman uprisings , and perpetrated acid attacks on women who were unveiled. Groups of resistance formed in parts of eastern Afghanistan by the fall of 1978, but it was in early 1979 that

4320-747: 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

4440-725: The AIG. He eventually decided to go at the Kabul regime in a very different way: a coalition with Khalq communists of General Shahnawaz Tanai , which caused many resignations in his party in protest. Together, they launched a coup attempt in 1990 to oust the Parchamite Mohammed Najibullah , but failed. A number of Shia militia groups also operated, mainly in central Afghanistan populated by ethnic Hazaras . These groups were also, similarly, divided between themselves. Sayyid Ali Beheshti 's Shura-i Inqilab-i Ittifaq ,

4560-649: The Afghan Air Force could no longer fly due to fuel shortages. Consequently, the Army's desertion rate skyrocketed. In March 1992, Dostum's militiamen defected to Massoud after negotiations, and Najibullah's regime fell shortly afterwards. In 1991, some factions of the Mujahidin were deployed in Kuwait to fight Iraq . After Hekmatyar and Sayyaf publicly denounced the U.S. and the Saudi royal family for their role in

4680-480: The Afghan army in fortified positions and even helped them conduct counteroffensives, in order to leave them in as strong a position as possible. The withdrawal was completed on schedule, with commander Boris Gromov of the 40th Army being the last Soviet soldier to leave Afghanistan. After the Soviet withdrawal, most of the Afghan mujahidin continued its fight against the government of Mohammad Najibullah , which continued to receive funding from Moscow, while similarly

4800-601: 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

4920-616: 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

Maidan Shar - Misplaced Pages Continue

5040-527: 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

5160-714: 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

5280-719: The Islamic groups to make attempts to unite. A coalition of the three Islamist and three traditionalist organizations, the Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan, was formed, headed by Abdul Rasul Sayyaf . However, it did not last, as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 's group ( Hizb-i Islami Gulbuddin ) and later the three traditionalist groups seceded from it. These three set up the Union of the Three. The Islamic Union later called

5400-399: The Karmal government. The moderate Afghan Social Democratic Party (Afghan Millat) , formed in the 1960s, also resisted in the early days of the war. It was treated as a pariah by the recognized Peshawar-based mujahidin groups. Its guerilla band was heavily damaged in September 1980 following an attack by Hekmatyar's mujahidin forces. The regime in Kabul neutralized an Afghan Millat unit in

5520-456: 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

5640-447: The Mujahidin was also still receiving funding from Washington and Islamabad. Despite initial estimates, the Mujahidin proved unable to topple Najibullah's regime immediately after the Soviet withdrawal. The government concentrated its forces in defense of key cities, while relying on vast amounts of military and humanitarian aid from the Soviet Union to stay afloat. Soviet military advisors were still present in Afghanistan, helping advise

5760-406: The Mujahidin's attempts to take the city of Jalalabad in March 1989, and the civil war settled into a stalemate for three years. Women also played a part in the Afghan mujahidin, often traveling with them to cook food or wash their clothes, but also taking part in weapons smuggling. There were many female sympathizers who encouraged their husbands, sons or other male family members to take part in

5880-577: The Mujahidin. Veteran mujahidin leaders who fought against the Soviets were divided regarding the Taliban. Yunus Khalis was a strong supporter of the Taliban and Nabi Mohammadi also supported them, even dissolving his own organization in doing so. However, Rabbani and Sayyaf were against the Taliban and formed a new united opposition force called the Northern Alliance , which also recruited Abdul Qadeer (a commander who defected from Khalis's faction), prominent Shi'ite leaders such as Muhammad Mohaqiq , and former DRA commander Abdul Rashid Dostum . This group

6000-437: The Peshawar Seven and not nationalists or tribal elders. After the Soviet withdrawal, the AIG attempted to establish itself within Afghan territory – the mujahidin and Pakistani forces attacked the city of Jalalabad in March 1989, visioning a final victory towards Kabul, but were disastrously defeated by the Afghan Army. The rivalry between Hekmatyar and the Jamiat-i Islami only increased, leading to Hekmatyar's resignation from

6120-412: The Soviets and the Afghan regime, as well as the Mujahidin. They were initially well organized and carried out attacks in Kabul; the KGB then had a policy of clearing Kabul of any pro-Chinese elements. A mild suspicion from KHAD was enough to put someone in prison by accusing them of being a pro-Chinese communist. The People's Republic of China , which was a backer of the main Pakistan-based Mujahidin,

SECTION 50

#1732791702130

6240-430: 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 ,

6360-461: 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,

6480-444: 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

6600-489: 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

6720-479: 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

6840-399: 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,

6960-406: 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

7080-401: 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

7200-457: 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

7320-403: The areas it operated in (northern and north-eastern Afghanistan). In 1981 the Islamist groups formed a broader alliance, the Union of the Seven , made up of the three Islamist groups, the newly formed organization led by Sayyaf, and three splinter groups. But many differences remained between them. In 1985, under pressure from the king of Saudi Arabia – which was a major donor to the mujahidin –

SECTION 60

#1732791702130

7440-727: The city in 1983. Most of the Mujahidin's weapons were of Soviet design; this includes mostly those that were supplied by their funders and smaller numbers that were captured from the Soviet or Afghan militaries. It was disclosed in 1981 that recoilless rifles (Chinese 83mm, Blo, 70mm) were being used by the resistance. Also in use were Soviet 82 mm mortars , British mortars and Chinese Type 63 mortars. Twin barrelled Chinese-built Type 58s has been seen in smaller numbers. Lee–Enfield rifles, Egyptian made AKMs , and Chinese made SKSs have also been used by them. Beginning in 1985, they began to receive heavy equipment like bazookas and heavy machine guns, while also receiving better equipment for

7560-411: The civil war into a war of liberation, and the jihad was more forceful than previous Afghan empires had fought against the British and the Sikhs. Except for pockets of supporters of the DRA regime, almost every social, religious and ethnic group protested the Soviet action (despite their removal of the tyrannical Khalq regime), and even religious minorities of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus covertly assisted

7680-399: The cold winters, such as snow boots and ski tents. The raised fundings or assistance from the United States, China and Saudi Arabia all contributed to strengthening the Mujahidin movement by 1987. The portable surface-to-air " Stinger " missile was first used by Mujahedin in September 1986 and is considered by some to have been a turning point in the war. Some military analysts considered it

7800-441: The country in 1989, after which the rebels' war against the communist Afghan government continued. The loosely-aligned mujahidin took the capital city of Kabul in 1992 following the collapse of the Moscow -backed government. However, the new mujahidin government that was formed by the Peshawar Accords following these events was quickly fractured by rival factions and became severely dysfunctional. This unrest quickly escalated into

7920-467: 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

8040-421: 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

8160-490: 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

8280-445: The exiled king, Mohammed Zahir Shah , also caused divisions. Zahir Shah enjoyed considerable popularity among the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Both Hekmatyar and Khalis were strongly against the king, while Gailani, Mojaddedi and Mohammadi supported an interim coalition with him. Rabbani and Sayyaf were initially against a role for the king, later changing their minds. Although the Afghan mujahidin were praised for bravery in resisting

8400-448: The former Afghan king, Mohammed Zahir Shah , would be an ideal "National Leader" in any coalition. However, Pakistan, which preferred a divided Afghan resistance, was against the return of the former king to Afghanistan, seeing it as a symbol of Afghan nationalism. There were seven major mujahidin groups as recognized by Pakistan and its allies, based in Peshawar and sometimes called the Peshawar Seven . They were often categorized into

8520-574: 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

8640-603: The fundamentalist and traditional; the fundamentalist factions were militarily stronger in the war. Some of the group leaders also acted as commanders, such as Khalis and Hekmatyar. The other notable mujahidin commanders were Ahmad Shah Massoud (Jamiat-i Islami), Abdul Haq (Hizb-i Islami Khalis), Ismail Khan (Jamiat-i Islami), Jalaluddin Haqqani (Hizb-i Islami Khalis), Amin Wardak (Mahaz-e Melli) and Mohammad Zabihullah (Jamiat-i Islami). The Afghan mujahideen were not

8760-446: 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

8880-456: The government with Soviet bombardment and logistical support. By the time Soviet forces completed their withdrawal, the Afghan government held only sixty urban centers and the Mujahidin controlled six entire provinces. However, the Mujahidin were unable to seize the country's major cities for several years, due to the lack of coordination between the various groups and the lack of heavy firepower necessary for such actions. The Afghan Army beat back

9000-488: The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan signed the Geneva Accords , guaranteed by the United States and Soviet Union. This committed the Soviet Union to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by 15 February 1989. The withdrawal was conducted in two phases. The first half of the contingent was removed between 15 May and 16 August 1988, and the second half after 15 November 1988. As the Soviets withdrew, they left

9120-674: The group during this period was Osama bin Laden , who would later found al-Qaeda and mastermind the September 11 attacks on the United States. Other international fighters from the Indian subcontinent became involved in terrorist activities in Kashmir and against the states of Bangladesh and Myanmar during the 1990s. The mujahidin guerrillas fought a long and costly war against the Soviet military , which suffered heavy losses and withdrew from

9240-591: 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

9360-486: 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

9480-616: The international community, and sought representation in the United Nations and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference . The Afghan mujahidin also saw thousands of volunteers from various Muslim countries come to Afghanistan to aid the resistance. The majority of the international fighters came from the Arab world , and later became known as Afghan Arabs ; the most well-known Arab financier and militant of

9600-784: The invasion of the country deliberately ignored bacha bazi . The US military responded by claiming the abuse was largely the responsibility of the "local Afghan government". The Taliban has criticized the US role in the abuse of Afghan children. Afghan mujahideen Tehran Eight (Shia Groups) (All except the Islamic Movement and Hezbollah Merged into Hezbe Wahdat ) Other Groups Afghanistan Mujahedin Freedom Fighters Front The Afghan mujahideen ( Pashto : افغان مجاهدين ; Dari : مجاهدین افغان ) were Islamist militant groups that fought against

9720-732: 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

9840-590: The lack of trust among the various leaders was a factor for the many disunited organizations. Numerous mujahideen commanders additionally regarded schools and its teachers as legitimate targets for attacks, with their justification being that the PDPA ’s leftist ideology was taught in educational institutions to students. The only party fighting the Soviets was the Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami. The others were all fighting each other. The issue of

9960-610: The larger and more significant Sunni Islamic union collectively referred to as the "Peshawar Seven", based in Pakistan , and the smaller Shia Islamic union collectively referred to as the " Tehran Eight ", based in Iran ; as well as independent units that referred to themselves as "mujahidin". The "Peshawar Seven" alliance received heavy assistance from the United States ( Operation Cyclone ), Pakistan , Saudi Arabia , Turkey ,

10080-403: 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

10200-609: 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

10320-794: The main seven parties include the Sharafat Kuh Front in Farah Province and Harakat-e-Mulavi . Additionally a Baloch nationalist group operated called the Nimruz Front . The Settam-e-Melli was a small long-time splinter faction of the PDPA based in Badakhshan Province that fought against the regime and other Mujahidin. They were driven out of Panjshir Valley by Massoud's mujahidin forces in 1981. By 1983 its resistance seemed to have ceased as it appeared to join

10440-581: The midst of anarchy in Afghanistan. Supported by Pakistan and recruited from religious students from madrasas across the border, it won a highly effective military campaign against former Mujahidin factions in the civil war, gaining control and establishing the Islamic Emirate in 1996. Nearly all of the Taliban's original leadership fought in the Soviet–Afghan War for either the Hezb-i Islami Khalis or Harakat-i Inqilab-e Islami factions of

10560-442: 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

10680-404: The most territory, stretching from Herat in the west through the north to Badakhshan in the north-east. Harakat-i Inqilab also held a large amount of territory in the southern provinces, stretching from Nimroz to Logar . Hizb-i Islami Khalis had its stronghold around Nangarhar and Paktia , while Hizb-i Islami Gulbuddin held many pockets of territory throughout the country. The Mahaz-i-Milli

10800-506: The mujahidin. Following the exodus of Afghans to Pakistan in 1980, as many as 84 different resistance groups were formed in Peshawar. A coalition of the resistance with a united front for military activities was demanded by Afghan refugees during meetings in Peshawar in 1980. They, including tribal and community elders, former members of parliament and mujahidin commanders, met in several loya jirgas (traditional grand assembly) to solidify

10920-456: The new government and Mujahidin factions that rebelled against it. This meant that after 1992, various Mujahidin factions including the Shi'ite Hezb-i Wahdat continued to exist as militias rather than merely political parties, with many fighters being loyal to specific leaders. The Taliban is a puritanical movement that was formed in 1994, five years after the end of the Soviet–Afghan War and in

11040-492: The people of Maidan Shar is poor. By the end of 2008, there were a total of 14 schools serving approximately 9,268 students. There were around 275 teachers teaching in these schools. 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,

11160-573: 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

11280-521: 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,

11400-551: The resistance, liberate Afghanistan from the Soviet Union, topple the Kabul regime, and create a single political bloc. Mojaddedi took part in these, and the first jirga passed a resolution on February 21, 1980. The last round of the jirga in May 1980 set up the Islamic National Revolutionary Council, headed by Mohammad Omar Babrakzay as acting president. It advocated for a national, Islamic, and democratic republic. The pressure persuaded leaders of

11520-433: 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

11640-588: 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

11760-400: 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

11880-512: The situation rapidly escalated to open rebellion. As early as February 2, 1979, it was reported that Afghan dissidents were receiving guerilla training across the border in Pakistan. The conflict reached a height during the Herat mutiny in March, in which a non-organized group of Afghan army mutineers from the 17th Division and the civilians rebelled and briefly overthrew the city garrison. The incident and subsequent air bombardment gave indications of

12000-402: 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

12120-423: 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,

12240-428: The summer of 1990, the Afghan government forces were on the defensive again, and by the beginning of 1991 the government controlled only 10 percent of Afghanistan. In March 1991, Mujahidin forces captured the city of Khost ending an eleven-year siege. After the failed coup d'état attempt by hardliners in the Soviet Union in August 1991, Soviet support to Najibullah's government dried up. This effectively doomed it, as

12360-436: 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,

12480-590: The tribal Revolutionary Council an "enemy". Because of disunity, elders from western Afghanistan attempted to hold a loya jirga, citing that party politics disunited the resisting Afghans. Political Islamists warned against people attending the jirga, but it was held safely in September 1981 in Pishin, Pakistan , consisting of tribal elders, the Ulama, and military officers. Elders native from Nangarhar proposed that

12600-504: The war against the invaders. However, women in Afghanistan were split between the two sides, with many also supporting the Democratic Republic where they enjoyed social privileges. Female refugees also created and recited Landays (traditional Afghan poems) about the war. There is one recorded female mujahidin warlord, Bibi Ayesha (nicknamed Kaftar , meaning "dove"), who operated in Baghlan Province . On 14 April 1988,

12720-565: The war effort and even coordinate air strikes. Soviet volunteers operated the Scud missiles which gave the government an advantage in firepower. The Afghan Air Force, supplied and maintained with Soviet support, proved to be a crucial asset in keeping the government in power. As late as December 1991, Soviet pilots were recorded flying bombing missions against the Mujahidin. The Mujahidin's divisions and factionalism hindered their war effort, and skirmishes between rival groups became common. Massoud

12840-515: 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

12960-659: The years, there were various efforts to create a united front, but all were either non-effective or failed in a short time. At least three different iterations of an "Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahedin" (IUAM) were tried, none of which lasted. The formation of the Afghanistan Interim Government (AIG) in 1988 also failed to promote unity. Additionally, it only included the select Sunni Muslim groups approved by Pakistan; Shi'ite groups backed by Iran and pro-Chinese (anti-Soviet) leftist groups were excluded. Mujahideen leader Mohammad Yunus Khalis thought that

13080-422: Was Headed by traditionalist Sibghatullah Mojaddedi , with orthodox Abdul Rasul Sayyaf as prime minister, the AIG represented itself as a government in exile and a legitimate incoming state following the Soviet withdrawal. The two individuals proved popular, despite not being leaders of major groups, with Sayyaf said to have had exceptional ability in solving issues. However, the AIG was weak, as it only included

13200-815: 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,

13320-576: 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

13440-531: Was also known as the "Afghan resistance", and the Western press widely referred to the Afghan guerrillas as "freedom fighters", or "Mountain Men". The militants of the Afghan mujahidin were recruited and organized immediately after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, initially from the regular Afghan population and defectors from the Afghan military , with the aim of waging an armed struggle against both

13560-719: Was either unable or unwilling to help the Afghan Maoists. Majid Kalakani , a prominent figure and leader of the Liberation Organization of the People of Afghanistan (SAMA), was executed by the Afghan regime in June 1980. Members of Shola-e Javid ("Eternal Flame") were involved in fighting the government and mujahidin (particularly Hezb-i Islami ). The Babrak Karmal government arrested many of its members in June 1981. Smaller mujahidin groups not connected to

13680-435: 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

13800-646: 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

13920-504: Was one of the few Afghan female mayors, and the youngest to be appointed at the age of 26. She has won awards for her efforts in empowering women's rights in Afghanistan. Maidan Shar features a warm-summer humid continental climate ( Dsb ) under the Köppen climate classification . It has warm, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. The average temperature in Maidan Shar is 7.6 °C, while the annual precipitation averages 558 mm. July

14040-469: Was one of the most active elements in this time. In both 1990 and 1991 he staged spring offensives, capturing several cities and steadily expanding the territory under his influence. The government meanwhile came to rely heavily on tribal militias to stay in power, primarily the Jowzjani militia of Abdul Rashid Dostum. After 1989, these were the only forces capable of offensives against the Mujahidin. By

14160-579: 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

14280-537: Was prominent in Loya Paktia but also had territory in other parts of the country. As Soviet forces withdrew in 1988–89, the Mujahidin captured several key districts, towns and provincial capitals, such as Taloqan , Mahmud Raqi , Asadabad , Bamyan , Spin Boldak , Dara-i-Suf and Imam Sahib . The cities of Kunduz , Qalat , and Maidan Shahr also fell to the Mujahidin in the summer of 1988, but were retaken by

14400-552: 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",

#129870