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What is the Taliban?
The Taliban are the group that govern
Afghanistan.
They say their aim is “to set up the world’s
most pure Islamic state, banning frivolities like
television, music, and cinema.”
Today the Taliban
control 90% of
Afghanistan, but they
started in 1994, by
taking over just one
town at a time.
The beginnings:
Most people agree that the Taliban
began in the early 1990’s. Refugees
from the Afghan/Soviet war were living
in Pakistan and went to Pashtun
fundamentalist schools. The students
called themselves “Taliban” which
translates to “God’s students” in Arabic.
Most accounts claim that a religious
leader -- Mullah Mohammed Omar -lead a group of militant religious
students through the Afghan countryside
to rid it of the bandits and corrupt
officials (left there after the Soviets
pulled-out)
The Taliban students began
attacking highway bandits
and freed the countryside
from crime. Then they forced
the corrupt officials to leave
and took over the towns.
Little by little they
gained control of
almost all of
Afghanistan.
Pakistan is the only country that recognizes the
Taliban as the legitimate government of
Afghanistan. Also Pakistan has provided much
financial and military support to the Taliban.
Because of this, many people argue that the
Taliban weren’t students at all, but Afghan
refugees funded and trained by Pakistan’s
secret service in order to create safe trade
routes to the Middle East.
The Organization:
The Taliban is a complicated government
with many levels of leadership.
The following are just their top leaders:
Taliban leaders pictures with Osama Bin Laden
Taliban Leaders, Ministers
NAME
POSITION
Mullah Mohammad Omar
Emir of Afghanistan
Head of the Taliban Movement
Mullah Mohammad Rabbani
Chairman-Ruling Council
Head-Council of Ministers
Abdul Wakil Motawakil
Minister of Foreign affairs
Mullah Ubaidullah Akhund
Minister of Defense
Mullah Abdul Razaq
Minister of Interior Affairs
Taliban Leaders, Ministers
NAME
POSITION
Qari Ahmadullah
Minister of Security
Mullah Nooruddin Turabi
Minister of Justice
Qari Din Mohammad
Minister of Planning
Mullah Abbas Akhund
Minister of Health
Mullah Abdul Salam Haqqani
Minister of Education
Mullah Yar Mohammad
Minister of Communication
Taliban Leaders, Ministers
NAME
POSITION
Alhaj Mullah Mohammad Isa Akhund
Minister of Mines and Industries
Mawlawi Mohammadullah Mati’
Minister of Public Works
Hafez Mohibullah
Minister of Haj and Religious Affairs
Mawlawi Abdul Raqib
Minister of Repatriation
Mullah Mohammad Jan Akhund
Minister of Water and Electricity
Their laws
Sharia, Islamic Law, is the basis for the
Taliban’s rules and regulations. They have
forced the citizens to live under a strict
interpretation of the Sharia -- including public
executions and amputations.
Men are required to
wear beards at least
the length of a fist, and
can be beaten or
imprisoned otherwise.
The rest of the world is very concerned about
the treatment of women under the Taliban’s
laws.
Under these laws girls are forbidden to go to
school and women are banned to work outside
of homes. Worse, women are forbidden to leave
the house without a male relative.
Women have to wear a suffocating burqa or
full-length covering with a net-like eye slot. If
they walk too fast or make too much noise, they
are beaten.
The Taliban claim these laws "restore women's
safety, dignity and freedom."
To root out “non-Islamic”
influence, television, music,
and the internet were
outlawed.
Also, any sign of preIslamic culture in
Afghanistan has been wiped
out. These Buddhist statues
were blown-up last March.
What many people think the Taliban is:
--The Taliban wants to make the whole world
Islamic.
--Osama Bin Laden is the leader of the Taliban.
--The Taliban is the same as the Al Qaeda.
--The Taliban are the terrorists.
The truth behind these misperceptions:
--The Taliban only makes Afghanistan follow
Islamic rules. It’s the Al Qaeda that wants to rid
the world of “bad” western influences.
--Osama is the leader of the Al Qaeda and is
merely a guest of the Taliban regime.
--The Taliban and Al Qaeda are completely
separate. The Taliban are the governing party
of Afghanistan, while the Al Qaeda are a
world-wide terrorist organization.
--The Taliban claim they had nothing to do
with the terrorist attacks on the United States.
They are not terrorists. They merely provide a
place for terrorists to hide. Evidence shows
that the Al Qaeda did it.
Taliban
Photo
Gallery
After the Taliban
Bombed areas
Afghani women:
begging
“riding” in taxi (treated like luggage)
Waiting in food lines - like 40% of Kabul
meeting secretly for school
Afghani men:
Raised to fight
Afghani Kids’ views: