The Taliban's Swift Rise to Power in Afghanistan
From Kandahar to Kabul: A Timeline of Events
The Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan has been a rapid and dramatic development. The group, which emerged in Kandahar in 1994, has taken control of the country in a matter of weeks. This swift rise to power has raised concerns about the future of Afghanistan and the implications for regional and global security.
Afghanistan's Long History of Conflict
Afghanistan has been embroiled in war for decades. The Soviet invasion of 1979 sparked a long and bloody conflict that ended with the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989. The subsequent civil war led to the Taliban's rise to power in 1996. The Taliban was ousted from power in 2001 by a US-led coalition, but the group continued to wage an insurgency against the Afghan government.
The US Withdrawal and the Taliban's Offensive
In 2014, the US began to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. The withdrawal process was accelerated in 2020, and by April 2021, the US had announced that it would withdraw all troops by September 11. The Taliban quickly seized upon the opportunity to launch a nationwide offensive, sweeping across Afghanistan in just 10 days.
The Taliban's Return to Power
On August 15, 2021, the Taliban entered Kabul and took control of the presidential palace. The Afghan government collapsed, and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. The Taliban's return to power has raised concerns about human rights, women's rights, and the future of Afghanistan.
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