How was the movement born?
The Taliban (literally “students”) movement, mostly belonging to the Pashtun community (the largest ethnic community in Afghanistan, which has historically claimed the right to rule the country), was founded in the early nineties in the city of Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, by mullah Mohammad Omar. Formed in madrasas (Koranic schools), these Sunni Islamists promised a population exhausted by years of civil war to fight instability, corruption and crime. They took power in 1996 only to be ousted five years later by a Washington-led military coalition due to their refusal to hand over Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. Since 2001, the Taliban have entrenched themselves in remote areas where they have launched an insurrection against the government. According to NATO estimates, the group could now count as many as 85,000 fighters.
Who is the main leader of the Taliban?
The most likely candidate to lead the Taliban government is current Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, a 60-year-old Islamic law scholar who took over when his predecessor, Akhtar Mansour, was killed in a US drone strike near the Afghan border. -Pakistani in 2016, writes Jason Burke. Like most of the top Taliban leaders, he is Pashtun. During the 1980s, Akhunzada fought the Soviets and their local allies with brigades of young religious students who later formed the core of the Taliban. He also studied in religious schools in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, was Mullah Omar’s principal religious “adviser” and eventually attained sheikh ul-hadith status as an outstanding scholar. In recent decades, Akhunzada has been the Taliban’s top religious judge, resolving thorny issues such as the legitimacy of suicide attacks, or whether it is right to fight the Islamic State while the group sought to establish a presence in Afghanistan. It has three deputies: Mullah Ahmed Ghani Baradar, one of the founders of the Taliban; Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar; and Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of a mujahideen commander.
What is its ideology?
The insurgents want to impose an ultra-strict version of Islamic law. They see themselves as a resistance movement in the face of the invader. Unlike organizations like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group, the group does not seek to export itself.
How do you live under the Taliban regime?
The Taliban see themselves as the least corrupt political movement in the country and impose their very rigid view of society. They prohibit the population from doing politics, listening to music, going to the cinema. Women cannot work or go to school and must wear a full veil.
How is the movement financed?
The Taliban control a large part of the Afghan economy. They are heavily dependent on the illegal trade and drugs, imposing taxes on poppy growers and opium producers, as well as taxes in the areas they control. The organization also receives funds from supporters based in Pakistan and the Gulf countries. NATO estimates that the movement raises $ 1.6 billion (€ 1.4 billion) a year.
Who supports the Taliban?
Only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had recognized the Taliban government when it was in power in the 1990s. The Taliban’s legitimacy was strengthened by the historic agreement signed with the United States in February 2020, which called for the withdrawal of American soldiers in exchange for security guarantees and inter-Afghan peace talks. Since then, even China, worried about the security of its borders, out of pragmatism has turned to the Taliban, “a crucial political and military force in Afghanistan”, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi declared on July 28, meeting with the political leader of the Taliban.–Libération, The Guardian, Bbc
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