The Taliban : rise and fall of an insurgency

Abstract

When in 1994, a hitherto unknown movement known as the Taliban appeared on the Afghan political scene, no one would have envisaged the impact that they would have in the region and on international relations. Calling for the formation of an Islamic state based on a strict interpretation of the Sharia, the Taliban were viewed by many locals as a fresh force that could end the internal fighting and corruption that had characterized Afghanistan since the Saur Revolution of 1978. Although the Taliban were initially regarded as the light that could drive Afghanistan out of the darkness in which it had descended, once in power their regime became strongly linked with gross violations of fundamental human rights, ethnic cleansing, poppy cultivation and support to the notorious terrorist group Al Qaeda. Still, despite the developments that took place in the region from 1994 to the beginning of 2001, the Taliban were a phenomenon that remained largely unexplored by the international community and analysts alike. It was only after the 11th September attacks on the World Trade Center that the Taliban became a subject of interest to academics and within international relations. Today, nearly eight years after these tragic events, the Taliban resurgence in the area has become a key concern for the US and the international community at large. This dissertation was written in the hope of contributing to the study of this movement and its impact on the current international scenario by presenting a detailed analysis of the Taliban rise, fall and subsequent resurgence.