The Taliban emerged in the mid-1990s amid the instability that followed the Soviet withdrawal and the civil war that devastated Afghanistan. Promising to restore order and justice, the movement drew support from war-weary Afghans and backing from sections of Pakistan’s military establishment. By 1996, it had captured Kabul and declared the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s rule brought a measure of stability but imposed severe social restrictions. Its leadership enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, curtailed women’s rights, silenced dissent, and restricted access to education and public life, forcing Afghanistan into diplomatic and economic isolation.

During this period, the Taliban forged close ties with Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, turning Afghanistan into a base for global militant networks. These alliances heightened international alarm and culminated in the regime’s downfall after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

In this second part of the Afghanistan series at Global Faultlines, we trace the Taliban’s first rise to power, explore the nature of their rule, and examine how it shaped Afghanistan’s trajectory in the decades that followed.

Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu

Research: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Camera: Shivaraj S

Editing and production: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

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