Part 4/13:
Initially, during the jihad against the Soviets, Afghan groups like the mujahideen, supported indirectly by the US and others, fought valiantly. However, this coalition was never unified or democratic; it was a patchwork of warlords with their own agendas. After the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and the fall of the communist regime, the country plunged into civil war, with various factions vying for control.
The Taliban emerged amidst this chaos, bolstered by frustration with warlord tyranny and civilian suffering. By 1996, they had seized Kabul, imposing a strict Islamic rule that was also a cover for foreign terrorist operations. Their primary international notoriety stems from hosting al-Qaeda, which executed the 9/11 attacks, the defining moment that prompted US intervention.