Taliban’s resurgence: A return to power after two decades

Amidst two decades of shifting geopolitics and intricate conflicts, the world now faces the striking resurgence of the Taliban, signifying a historic comeback to power. As the group reclaims the spotlight in Afghanistan, its swift takeovers and the collapse of established structures have ignited apprehensions and dialogues regarding the repercussions for the country’s people, regional […]

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Amidst two decades of shifting geopolitics and intricate conflicts, the world now faces the striking resurgence of the Taliban, signifying a historic comeback to power. As the group reclaims the spotlight in Afghanistan, its swift takeovers and the collapse of established structures have ignited apprehensions and dialogues regarding the repercussions for the country’s people, regional stability, and worldwide security dynamics.

In the 1990s, amidst Afghanistan’s civil wars in the Spinboldak district of Kandahar province, the Taliban emerged with a mission to uphold Islamic Sharia and combat infidelity. Led by Mullah Muhammad Omar, they swiftly gained dominance, capturing three-quarters of Afghanistan and becoming known as the founders of Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan.

After seizing control of Afghanistan, the Taliban governed about 75% of the country as the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” from 1996 to 2001. This era saw widespread international disapproval, with only Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia acknowledging the Taliban’s authority. However, this brief rule sparked significant discontent domestically.

Women and girls were entirely marginalized from public life. The disdain for culture and art reached its zenith, partially destroying museums and historical sites.

Notably, the ancient Bamiyan idols, which had stood for 1500 years, were
demolished during this period.

The Taliban’s rule in the 1990s was closely linked to terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda. This alliance with terrorists, international isolation, refusal to cooperate with other Afghan groups, and lack of a stable governance system contributed to the Taliban government’s downfall in Afghanistan in 2021.

Despite losing power, the Taliban persisted as senior members, mainly based in Pakistan, continued activities like re-mobilization and anti-government operations within Afghanistan. These actions targeted government forces and resulted in violence against civilians, including innocent individuals, students, journalists, and university professors.

The United Nations reported that the Taliban and their allies were responsible for 76% of Afghan civilian casualties in 2010, which increased to 80% in 2011 and 2012. These acts of violence perpetrated by the Taliban against civilians over the past two decades have fueled a significant portion of the population’s animosity towards them.

In 2020, after twenty years of conflict, the Taliban initiated negotiations with their primary adversary, the United States. This led to the release of Taliban prisoners from various jails over an eight-month negotiation period. The Doha Agreement, inked on February 29, 2020, between the U.S. and the Taliban, consists of four main components.

According to this agreement, all U.S. military forces, allies and coalition partners, including all civilian and non-diplomatic employees, private security contractors, trainers, advisors and support services personnel of the United States of America, will leave Afghanistan, which has weakened the Afghan security forces.

The second part of the peace agreement is related to the Taliban, according to which terrorist groups should not use the territory of Afghanistan against the interests of America and its allies.

Following the signing of the Doha Agreement between the United States of America and the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, a government unrecognized by the U.S.—the initiation of
intra-Afghan negotiations and the assurance of lasting peace were the final elements outlined in the agreement.

Although the agreement facilitated the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces from Afghanistan, the subsequent stages of the accord were left unfulfilled. The anticipated progress in intra-Afghan negotiations to solidify previous agreements and establish enduring peace remained unrealized.

The conflict endured beyond the government’s fall, persisting through August 15 and beyond, resulting in the downfall of the republican system that had been upheld with Western support since the Taliban government’s collapse in 2001.

After two decades of conflict with the Afghan government, the Taliban resurfaced, reestablishing their government as the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” This led to massive displacement and the return of restrictions on girls’ education. International reluctance to engage with the Taliban’s rule persisted, mirrored by media oppression, and economic recession further disrupted the lives of countless Afghan families.

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