The Taliban's Rise: Origins in Late 1994

The Taliban insurgency emerged in late 1994 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Its initial members were religious students (talib) and teachers from Pakistani madrassas who sought to impose strict Sharia law and end the warlordism and chaos following the Soviet withdrawal. Their disciplined governance and swift military gains allowed them to capture Kabul in September 1996, establishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.