The Taliban, a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist and predominantly Pashtun movement, controlled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. In October 2001, U.S. and allied forces invaded the country and quickly ousted the Taliban regime following its refusal to hand over terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in the wake of al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks. In February 2020, the U.S. government and the Taliban signed a peace deal, the so-called Doha Agreement, that set a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Under the agreement, the United States pledged to draw down U.S. troops to approximately 8,500 within 135 days and complete a full withdrawal within fourteen months. In return, the Taliban pledged to prevent territory under its control from being used by terrorist groups and to enter into negotiations with the Afghan government. In April 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that U.S. military forces would leave Afghanistan by September 2021. The summer of 2021, the Taliban continued its offensive, threatening government-controlled urban areas and seizing several border crossings. In early August, the Taliban began direct assaults on multiple urban areas, including Kandahar in the south and Herat in the west. The takeover threatens to reverse advances made in securing the rights of women and girls, many of which have already been significantly eroded. • In this podcast, we have Siamoy E. join us, an Afghan scholar majoring in management and international relations. She openly shares her perspective on the matter starting with life in Afghanistan before the influence of Taliban. She also discusses the ongoing initiatives to support the civilians in the country and especially women as it pertains to their education. • resources to learn moor: 1. Kite Runner- by Khaild Hussaini specifically about Hazara

2. Thousands splendid land by Khalid Hussaini