The tension between Pakistan and Taliban is fueling a new war. There have been attacks from both sides for some time now. Tension increased when Pakistan launched air strikes on Taliban-ruled areas of Afghanistan.
About four dozen people have been killed in air strikes in Afghanistan. After this, Taliban has openly challenged Pakistan and has talked about taking revenge for this attack. Amidst all these incidents, the name of Taliban has once again come up. Before Pakistan, the Taliban fought a long conflict with the US, NATO forces and Afghanistan’s former regime and eventually captured the whole of Afghanistan.
Amidst all this it is natural to raise the question that is this Taliban after all? Who is Taliban and what is their objective? If we want complete information about Taliban, we will have to go back a few decades. When the Soviet Russian army was withdrawing from Afghanistan.
Understand how two important events strengthened the Taliban
There are two distinct events that are responsible for the emergence and subsequent strengthening of the Taliban. When Russian forces withdrew from Afghanistan in the 1990s, the Taliban emerged. The second incident is of 2021, when the American army withdrew from Afghanistan, the entire Afghanistan was captured by Taliban and now it is ruling there.
Taliban emerged from Pakistani madrassas
The Taliban was born in the madrassas of northern Pakistan after the withdrawal of Russian troops from Afghanistan in the early 1990s. Taliban means student in Pashto language. Students who follow strict Islamic religious teachings. The Taliban emerged as a Pashto movement from religious seminaries in Pakistan.
Pashtun region of Pakistan and Afghanistan was the main destination
It is said that radical Sunni Islamic scholars established their roots in Pakistan with the help of religious institutions. Saudi Arabia provided considerable financial support for the establishment of the Taliban. Initially, the Taliban started a movement to impose Islamic rule with fundamentalist religious law in the Pashtun areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Taliban influence spread as soon as the end of foreign rule was announced
Initially the Taliban announced that their aim was to eliminate foreign rule from Islamic areas and establish Sharia law and an Islamic state there. Initially, people fed up with feudal atrocities and government corruption faced the Taliban in Afghanistan and were welcomed by tribal people in many areas.
America once cooperated to reduce Russian influence
Later, religious fanaticism also reduced the popularity of Taliban, but by then Taliban had become so powerful that people lost hope of getting rid of it. It is believed that America also supported Taliban in the initial phase to eliminate Russian influence in Afghanistan.
When Taliban area became a haven for terrorists
The 9/11 attacks changed America’s attitude towards the Taliban. Because the Taliban, who occupied the mountainous and tribal areas of Afghanistan, were supporting terrorist activities against America and Europe. The US itself entered the war against the Taliban to protect terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and sponsor terrorist attacks in Europe including the United States.
Taliban captured Afghanistan after two decades of conflict
US troops in Taliban-occupied Afghanistan began a campaign to eliminate the Taliban from mountainous and tribal areas after major cities like Kabul-Kandahar. American and allied forces have not had success in 20 years. Pakistani support kept the Taliban alive, especially in areas bordering Pakistan. Finally, after the withdrawal of American troops in 2021, Taliban again raised its head and emerged as a name of fear.
How Taliban started raising its head in Pakistan itself
When Taliban came into full force in Afghanistan, the influence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban also started increasing. Once again, citing their old motive, Pakistani Taliban has started attacking the government and army of their country. In response, Pakistan is also continuously attacking Taliban dominated Afghanistan and now the situation is ready for war to start.
