The Taliban regime in Afghanistan

Abstract

More than three years ago, the brutal and tragic events of 11 September 2001 have brought the Taliban to the centre stage of world politics and the global political environment. The Taliban leaders, who ruled Afghanistan by faith and fear, gave shelter to the Al'Qaeda extremist group of Osama Bin Laden. Since the Taliban's dramatic and sudden appearance at the end of 1994, they have been regarded as the most extreme Islamist movement in the world (Rashid 2001a:1). Prior to this, little was known about the rise to power of the Taliban because of the deep secrecy that surrounds the movement, their political structures, their leadership and the decision-making process within the movement (Rashid 2001b:5).