From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan’s government. This Muslim fundamentalist group is known for offering refuge to Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, and for its rigid interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban’s policy of publicly executing criminals and restricting the employment and education of women have been criticized by the international community. Since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, the group has been out of power but still remains a cultural force in the region and continually undermines the current central government.
The reaction of the Afghan people to the Taliban’s rule was not wholly negative for the group was able to provide a semblance of social order and prevent corruption that had run rampant through the government for several years. Even now, the Taliban continue to provide stability in regions where coalition and government officials have been unable to restore order and provide basic services.
After they were driven from power, many of the Taliban’s members were captured and detained by U.S. troops. Some have returned into predominantly Pashtun areas of Afghanistan in the south and east to occasionally meet and mount attacks against the current government. Others, meanwhile, heeded the call to disarm and assume normal lives as members of the Afghan society.