Almost 2 trillion dollars was aided by the US government for the Afghan insurgency. The fighting here goes back a decade after the US invaded the country back in 2001. Believing those responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York and Washington were hiding and training there. At that time Afghanistan was controlled by the Taliban, an extremist Islamic group who tried to control lots of aspects of people’s lives. The US government and its allies including Australia fought to remove the Taliban from power and the new Afghan government was put n place but the Taliban never completely went away. Eventually, the US agreed to withdraw the last of its troops and leave the power to the new Afghan government. But as they left the country last week, the Taliban gained more power and control.
History of Taliban in Afgnisthaan
In the year 1979 Afghanistan’s President and Communist leader Nur Muhammad Taraki get murdered. After this, the Soviet Union starts its interference in Afghanistan sending its forces. The Soviet Union then has Hafizullah Amin murdered. But how could the USA have silently watched Afghanistan progress? America decided to take its revenge against the Soviet Union. The revenge was initiated by supporting opposing idealogy, Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Who were these Mujahideen? Initially, they were only guerrilla fighters that fought while hiding in the mountains. But after getting so much support they got weapons, guns, and anti-aircraft.
In 1988, Afghanistan’s President was Mohammad Najibullah. USA promised that if the Soviet Union withdraws its armies from Afghanistan then the USA would stop supplying weapons to the Mujahideen. Finally after 9 years later in February 1989, the Soviet Union withdraws its armies from Afghanistan.
In the year 1990, Afghanistan is declared the Islamic Republic. All references to Communism are removed. In the year 1992 Mujahideen wins this civil war.
But with time, some refugees returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan. These people were even more religious extremists. There were many factions of ethnic groups in the Mujahideen. Taliban also believed in Pashtun nationalism. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia supported the Taliban.
By September 1996, the Taliban has successfully captured Kabul. And establishes the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. With time the conservative ideologies of the Taliban came to the forefront. Taliban bans a lot of things in Afghanistan like cinema, Tv, music, VCR, football, kite, chess flying, most of the paintings, photography, embroidery on sleeves, clean shave, foreigners, UN offices, NGOs, internet, education for girls aged above 10 years. Under the Taliban’s rule, men have to compulsory keep a beard. And women had to keep their bodies covered in burqas, they also couldn’t leave their homes without being accompanied by a male relative. Since the Taliban believed in Pashtun ideology, the non-Pashtun ethnicities became victims of ethnic cleansing. Thousand of Muslims are killed. Christians get prosecuted. Hindus are given badges so they can be distinguished from Muslims.
Taliban were criticized after all these atrocities. In the late 1990s, some Mujahideen forces try to fight the Taliban. These were called the Northern Alliance. Ahmad Shah Massoud was their heard. But in 2001, the Northern Alliance loses this fight. And Ahmad Shah Massoud gets killed as well. Only after two days happened, a terrorist group Al Qaeda conducts the 9/11 attacks in the USA. At that time Taliban helps to shelter Osama Bin Laden. Osama says that the attacks are revenge for what America was doing in countries like Somalia, Libya, and Afghanistan. Even America finds a way of taking its revenge for the 9/11 attacks. So America sends its forces to Afghanistan. America ten conducts airstrikes in Afghanistan. But with the support of the Mujahideen’s Northern Alliance, by December 2001. Taliban is totally pushed away by the USA.
Ahmad Shah Massoud’s aid Hamid Karzai becomes the new President of the Afghanistan government. In 2004, a new Constitution is adopted in Afghanistan yet again. Elections take place. And more than 6,000,000 Afghans vote in his elections. Karzai wins this election and becomes the new President of Afghanistan.
During all this, the US had dispatched its army to Afghanistan to maintain peace. And to keep the Taliban in check. And to support the government of Afghanistan. But even after years, the Taliban is still not wiped out.
Finally, on 15th August The Taliban captured Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, took over the presidential palace in 10 days.
Also Read: Taliban takes over Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani flees
