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88-529: On 14 August 2021, Maymana was seized by Taliban fighters, becoming the twenty-second provincial capital to be captured by the Taliban as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive . As of January 2022, however, clashes between Taliban and resistance fighters and protests have been reported in the city. Maymana is located at the northern foot of the Torkestan Range at an elevation of 877 m (2,877 ft) on

176-555: A Human Rights Watch 's report released in November 2021, the Taliban killed or forcibly disappeared more than 100 former members of the Afghan security forces in the three months since the takeover in just the four provinces of Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, and Kunduz. According to the report, the Taliban identified targets for arrest and execution through intelligence operations and access to employment records that were left behind. Former members of

264-585: A cultural genocide against Afghans by destroying their historical and cultural texts, artifacts and sculptures. The Taliban held control of most of the country until the United States invasion of Afghanistan in December 2001. Many members of the Taliban fled to neighboring Pakistan. After being overthrown, the Taliban launched an insurgency to fight the US-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and

352-592: A female slave from the period of the Gaochang kingdom under the rule of Qu clan and mentioned the Sogdian word "twrkstn", which may have referred to the lands to the east and north of Syr Darya in the realm of the First Turkic Khaganate . In 2024, Turkish Ministry of Education changed the term 'Central Asia' ( Turkish : Orta Asya ) to 'Turkestan' ( Turkish : Türkistan ) in history textbooks. The history of

440-595: A loanword in English, Taliban , besides a plural noun referring to the group, has also been used as a singular noun referring to an individual. For example, John Walker Lindh has been referred to as "an American Taliban" rather than "an American Talib" in domestic media. This is different in Afghanistan, where a member or a supporter of the group is referred to as a Talib (طَالِبْ) or its plural Talib-ha (طَالِبْهَا). In other definitions, Taliban means 'seekers'. In English,

528-582: A nearby cave at Bilchiragh are from the Paleolithic and late Neolithic -Bronze Age. Between 800 B.C and 700 A.D it was part of Median and Persian Empire , as well of Kushanian and Hephtalite , before being subjugated by Arabs during the Islamic Conquest who used local Iranian vassals to rule the region. In the 7th and 8th century it was the residence of the Malik of Guzganan , last Kushanian remnants, which

616-469: A number of arrests of local journalists, as well as barring access to international journalists. The country's small community of Sikhs - who form Afghanistan's second largest religion - as well as Hindus , have reportedly been prevented from celebrating their holidays as of 2023 by the Taliban government. Despite this, the Taliban in a later statement praised the communities and assured that their private land and property will be secured. In April 2024,

704-733: A reason why the Qara Khitai did not convert to Islam . Despite the Chinese trappings, there were comparatively few Han Chinese among the population of the Qara Khitai. These Han Chinese had lived in Kedun  [ zh ] during the Liao dynasty, and in 1124 migrated with the Khitans under Yelü Dashi along with other people of Kedun, such as the Bohai , Jurchen, and Mongol tribes, as well as other Khitans in addition to

792-567: A single nation state . Persian geographers first used the word to describe the place where Turkic peoples lived. According to ethnographer Dávid Somfai Kara , prior to the Russian conquest , Turkestan historically referred only to the western portion of Central Asia: The Eastern part of Central Asia (inhabited by nomads of the Tien Shan Mountains and settled peoples of the Tarim Basin )

880-465: A sudden renaissance, starting from the conquest of the area by Muhammad Shaibani and lasting all the way down to the Pashtun subjugation of the region. In 1876, under Sher Ali Khan , the city fell to the kingdom of Kabul and was viciosly put in ruins. As result, only ten percent of the population remained alive while a large part either died or left the city for other regions after the horrific slaughter. In

968-525: Is Pashto, طَالِباَنْ ( ṭālibān ), meaning "students", the plural of ṭālib . This is a loanword from Arabic طَالِبْ ( ṭālib ), using the Pashto plural ending -ān اَنْ . (In Arabic طَالِبَانْ ( ṭālibān ) means not "students" but rather "two students", as it is a dual form, the Arabic plural being طُلَّابْ ( ṭullāb )—occasionally causing some confusion to Arabic speakers.) Since becoming

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1056-523: Is an enemy. However, non-Pashtuns and others usually criticize some of the values such as the Pashtun practice of equally dividing inheritances among sons, even though the Qur'an clearly states that women are supposed to receive one-half of a man's share. According to Ali A. Jalali and Lester Grau, the Taliban "received extensive support from Pashtuns across the country who thought that the movement might restore their national dominance. Even Pashtun intellectuals in

1144-585: Is located in the northwest of modern day China and to the northwest of its borders, and extends directly to the east of the Caspian Sea . Turkestan is primarily inhabited by Turkic peoples , as well as Russian and Tajik-Persian minorities. Turkestan is subdivided into Afghan Turkestan , Russian Turkestan , and East Turkistan (the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China). Throughout history,

1232-401: Is non built-up (57%) consisting largely of agriculture. The central districts (2-5) have higher dwelling density and clear road grids. The outer districts(1, 7-10) are characterized by more agricultural land. During the 19th century, the population of the settlement was estimated at 15,000–18,000 families (or roughly 75,000-95,000 individuals) and was assumed to be a dominantly Uzbek city due to

1320-454: Is subdivided into Afghan Turkestan and historical Russian Turkestan (the latter of which extended in the south to Persia , in the west to the Aral and Caspian Seas and in the northeast to Lake Balkhash and Lake Zaysan ) in the west, and Chinese Turkestan or East Turkestan in the east. Of Persian origin (see -stan ), the term "Turkestan" ( ترکستان ) had historically never referred to

1408-606: Is to serve and provide security for Afghans." In response to "international criticism" over lack of diversity, an ethnic Hazara was appointed deputy health minister, and an ethnic Tajik appointed deputy trade minister. On the other hand, the Ministry of Women's Affairs has been closed and its building is the new home of Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice . According to Anderson, some women still employed by

1496-629: The History of Liao (one of the Twenty-Four Histories ), which was compiled officially during the Yuan dynasty by Toqto'a et al. After the fall of the Tang dynasty , various dynasties of non- Han ethnic origins gained prestige by portraying themselves as the legitimate dynasty of China. Qara Khitai monarchs used the title of " Chinese emperor ", and were also called the "Khan of Chīn". The Qara Khitai used

1584-547: The Islamic Emirate reestablished. Following their return to power, the Afghanistan government budget lost 80% of its funding and food insecurity became widespread. The Taliban returned Afghanistan to many policies implemented under its previous rule, including banning women from holding almost any jobs, requiring women to wear head-to-toe coverings such as the burqa , blocking women from travelling without male guardians, and banning all education for girls. The word Taliban

1672-610: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan , is an Afghan political and militant movement with an ideology comprising elements of Pashtun nationalism and the Deobandi movement of Islamic fundamentalism . It ruled approximately 75% of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 , before it was overthrown by an American invasion after the September 11th attacks carried out by the Taliban's ally al-Qaeda . The Taliban recaptured Kabul in August 2021 following

1760-690: The NATO -led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the War in Afghanistan . In May 2002, exiled members formed the Council of Leaders based in Quetta , Pakistan. Under Hibatullah Akhundzada 's leadership, in May 2021, the Taliban launched a military offensive , that culminated in the Fall of Kabul in August 2021 and the Taliban regaining control. The Islamic Republic was dissolved and

1848-720: The Northern Alliance militia, which seized parts of northeast Afghanistan and maintained international recognition as a continuation of the Islamic State of Afghanistan . During their rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia , or Islamic law, and were widely condemned for massacres against Afghan civilians, harsh discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, denial of UN food supplies to starving civilians, destruction of cultural monuments, banning women from school and most employment, and prohibition of most music . The Taliban committed

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1936-509: The Pakistani Taliban . Additionally, in Pakistan, the word Talibans is often used when referring to more than one Taliban member. In Afghanistan, the Taliban is frequently called the گرُوهْ طَالِبَانْ ( Goroh-e Taleban ), Dari term which means 'Taliban group'. As per Dari/Persian grammar, there is no "the" prefix. Meanwhile, in Pashto, a determiner is normally used and as a result,

2024-567: The Pashtun areas of east and south Afghanistan, who had been educated in traditional Islamic schools ( madāris ). Under the leadership of Mullah Omar ( r.  1996–2001 ), the movement spread through most of Afghanistan, shifting power away from the Mujahideen warlords . In 1996, the group established the First Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban's government was opposed by

2112-732: The Sharia law in accordance with the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence and the religious edicts of Mullah Omar. The Taliban, Mullah Omar in particular, emphasised dreams as a means of revelation. The Taliban forbade the consumption of pork and alcohol, the use of many types of consumer technology such as music with instrumental accompaniments , television, filming, and the Internet, as well as most forms of art such as paintings or photography, participation in sports , including football and chess ; Recreational activities such as kite -flying and

2200-889: The Turkmenistan border; and 64 miles (103 km) south of Andkhoy . The runway is with gravel surface. Maymana is, after Kabul , Kandahar , Herat , Mazar-i-Sharif , Jalalabad , Kunduz , and Ghazni , the eighth-largest Afghan town with an independent women-managed radio station, Radio Quyaash, established in February 2005. Maymana has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ) with hot, dry summers and cold, moist winters. Taliban State allies Non-state allies Non-state opponents The Taliban ( / ˈ t æ l ɪ b æ n , ˈ t ɑː l ɪ b ɑː n / ; Pashto : طَالِبَانْ , romanized:  Tālibān , lit.   'students'), which also refers to itself by its state name,

2288-723: The near seizure of the capital Kabul , the Taliban occupied the Presidential Palace after the incumbent President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates. Ghani's Asylum was confirmed by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on 18 August 2021. Remaining Afghan forces under the leadership of Amrullah Saleh , Ahmad Massoud , and Bismillah Khan Mohammadi retreated to Panjshir to continue resistance. The Taliban had "seized power from an established government backed by some of

2376-686: The "image of China" to legitimize their rule to the Central Asians. The Chinese emperor, together with the rulers of the Turks, Arabs, India and the Byzantine Romans, were known to Islamic writers as the world's "five great kings". Qara Khitai kept the trappings of a Chinese state, such as Chinese coins, Chinese imperial titles, the Chinese writing system, tablets, seals, and used Chinese products like porcelain, mirrors, jade and other Chinese customs. The adherence to Liao Chinese traditions has been suggested as

2464-527: The 19th century, the Russians under Nikolai Aleksandrovich Veryovkin  [ ru ] took the city of Turkistan (in present-day Kazakhstan ) in 1864. Mistaking its name for the entire region, they adopted the name of "Turkestan" ( Russian : Туркестан ) for their new territory . In 1969, a Turfanian document from 639 CE was found in the Astana district of Turpan, which recorded Sogdian sale contract of

2552-413: The 20th century, the city was once strongly walled with thick walls and towers and surrounded by a moat, but in the 20th century all this has been reduced to an anonymous mound. In 1934, the rebuilding of the city started, and in 1949 the northern parts of the old city were renewed, the old city citadel changed to a park. Maymana was the administrative center of Meymaneh Province until the disintegration of

2640-591: The 8th century. The Persian Samanid dynasty subsequently conquered it and the area experienced economic success. The entire territory was held at various times by Turkic forces, such as the Göktürks , until the conquest by Genghis Khan and the Mongols in 1220. Genghis Khan gave the territory to his son Chagatai and the area became the Chagatai Khanate . Timur took over the western portion of Turkestan in 1369, and

2728-703: The Afghan mujahideen. About 90,000 Afghans, including Mullah Omar, were trained by Pakistan's ISI during the 1980s. In April 1992, after the fall of the Soviet-backed régime of Mohammad Najibullah , many Afghan political parties agreed on a peace and power-sharing agreement, the Peshawar Accord , which created the Islamic State of Afghanistan and appointed an interim government for a transitional period. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 's Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin , Hezbe Wahdat , and Ittihad-i Islami did not participate. The state

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2816-611: The Central Asian region that was later called Turkestan dates back to at least the third millennium BC. Many artifacts were produced in that period, with much trade being conducted. The region was a focal point for cultural diffusion , as the Silk Road traversed it. Turkic sagas, such as the " Ergenekon " legend, and written sources, such as the Orkhon Inscriptions , in the 8th century AD, state that Turkic peoples originated in

2904-602: The Hezbe Wahdat forces of Abdul-Ali Mazari . Saudi Arabia supported the Ittihad-i Islami faction. The conflict between these militias also escalated into war. Due to this sudden initiation of civil war, working government departments, police units or a system of justice and accountability for the newly created Islamic State of Afghanistan did not have time to form. Atrocities were committed by individuals inside different factions. Ceasefires, negotiated by representatives of

2992-520: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan continue, with education policies and international relations, including internal and external challenges faced by the Taliban regime. In mid 2021, the Taliban led a major offensive in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of US troops from the country, which gave them control of over half of Afghanistan's 421 districts as of 23 July 2021. By mid-August 2021, the Taliban controlled every major city in Afghanistan; following

3080-687: The Islamic State's newly appointed Defense Minister Ahmad Shah Massoud , President Sibghatullah Mojaddedi and later President Burhanuddin Rabbani (the interim government), or officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), commonly collapsed within days. The countryside in northern Afghanistan, parts of which were under the control of Defense Minister Massoud, remained calm and some reconstruction took place. The city of Herat under

3168-783: The Mujahideen. Pakistan's President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq feared that the Soviets were also planning to invade Balochistan , Pakistan, so he sent Akhtar Abdur Rahman to Saudi Arabia to garner support for the Afghan resistance against Soviet occupation forces. A while later, the US CIA and the Saudi Arabian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) funnelled funding and equipment through the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Agency (ISI) to

3256-896: The River Oxus when approached from the south, emphasizing Turkestan's long-standing relationship with Iran , the Persian Empires , and the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates . Oghuz Turks (also known as Turkmens ), Kyrgyzs , Uzbeks , Kazakhs , Khazars , Uyghurs , and Hazaras are some of the Turkic inhabitants of the region who, as history progressed, have spread further into Eurasia forming such Turkic nations as Turkey , and subnational regions like Tatarstan in Russia and Crimea in Ukraine . Tajiks and Russians form sizable non-Turkic minorities. It

3344-479: The Taliban destroyed the statues, following a decree by Mullah Omar which stated: "all the statues around Afghanistan must be destroyed." Yahya Massoud, brother of the anti-Taliban and resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud , recalls the following incident after the destruction of the Buddha statues at Bamyan: It was the spring of 2001. I was in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley, together with my brother Ahmad Shah Massoud ,

3432-461: The Taliban had little direct control, and as a result, they promoted village jirgas , so in rural areas, they did not enforce their ideology as stringently as they enforced it in cities. The Taliban's religious/political philosophy, especially during its first régime from 1996 to 2001, was heavily advised and influenced by Grand Mufti Rashid Ahmed Ludhianvi and his works. Its operating political and religious principles since its founding, however,

3520-586: The Taliban implemented strict religious regulations, notably affecting women's rights and cultural heritage. This period included significant ethnic persecution and the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan . After the US-led invasion in 2001, the Taliban were ousted from power but regrouped and launched an insurgency that lasted two decades. The Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the US withdrawal . Their efforts to establish

3608-489: The Taliban instituted a ban on all education for all girls and women around the country alongside a ban on female staff in schools, including teaching professions. Teaching was one of the last few remaining professions open to women. The Taliban's ideology has been described as an "innovative form of sharia combining Pashtun tribal codes", or Pashtunwali , with radical Deobandi interpretations of Islam favoured by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and its splinter groups. Their ideology

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3696-479: The Taliban nominee for Ambassador to the U.N. told Anderson "The Hazara Shia for us are also Muslim. We believe we are one, like flowers in a garden." In late 2021, journalists from The New York Times embedded with a six-man Taliban unit tasked with protecting the Shi'ite Sakhi Shrine in Kabul from the Islamic State , noting "how seriously the men appeared to take their assignment." The unit's commander said that "We do not care which ethnic group we serve, our goal

3784-399: The Taliban's governance of Afghanistan, drug users and dealers were both severely persecuted. In 1999, Mullah Omar issued a decree in which he called for the protection of the Buddha statues at Bamyan , two 6th-century monumental statues of standing buddhas which were carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. But in March 2001,

3872-406: The U.N. World Food Program country director, Mary Ellen McGroarty, as of late 2021, early 2022 "22.8 million Afghans are already severely food insecure, and seven million of them are one step away from famine"; and that the world community has "unanimously" asked the Taliban "to form an inclusive government, ensure the rights of women and minorities and guarantee that Afghanistan will no more serve as

3960-401: The United States, in discussions with American journalist Jon Lee Anderson. Anderson notes that the Taliban's war against any " graven images ", so vigorous in their early rule, has been abandoned, perhaps made impossible by smartphones and Instagram. One local observer (Sayed Hamid Gailani) has argued the Taliban have not killed "a lot" of people after returning to power. Women are seen out on

4048-457: The West, who differed with the Taliban on many issues, expressed support for the movement on purely ethnic grounds." Written works published by the group's Commission of Cultural Affairs including Islami Adalat , De Mujahid Toorah – De Jihad Shari Misalay, and Guidance to the Mujahideen outlined the core of the Taliban Islamic Movement's philosophy regarding jihad, sharia, organization, and conduct. The Taliban régime interpreted

4136-410: The Xiao consort clan. Qara Khitai's rule over the Muslim-majority Central Asia has the effect of reinforcing the view among some Muslim writers that Central Asia was linked to China even though the Tang dynasty had lost control of the region a few hundred years ago. Marwazī wrote that Transoxiana was a former part of China, while Fakhr al-Dīn Mubārak Shāh defined China as part of "Turkestan", and

4224-410: The area became part of the Timurid Empire . The eastern portion of Turkestan was also called Moghulistan and continued to be ruled by descendants of Genghis Khan. In Chinese historiography , the Qara Khitai is most commonly called the "Western Liao" ( 西遼 ) and is considered to be a legitimate Chinese dynasty , as is the case for the Liao dynasty . The history of the Qara Khitai was included in

4312-501: The area has been conquered and reconquered by several different groups and countries, including the Huns , the Chinese, Arab forces, the Persian Empire , various Turkic forces, and the Mongols . The Qara Khitai also included the majority of Turkestan's land. Known as Turan to the Persians , western Turkestan has also been known historically as Sogdia , "Ma wara'u'n-nahr" (by its Arab conquerors), and Transoxiana by western travelers. The latter two names refer to its position beyond

4400-413: The cities of Balāsāghūn and Kashghar were considered part of China. The association of Khitai with China meant that the most enduring trace of the Khitan's power is names that are derived from it, such as Cathay , which is the medieval Latin appellation for China. Names derived from Khitai are still current in modern usage, such as the Russian, Bulgarian, Uzbek and Mongolian names for China. However,

4488-467: The day. This was contradicted by former senior members of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, one of which who told Anderson, "they will do anything to convince the international community to give them financing, but eventually I'll be forced to wear the burqa again. They are just waiting." After Taliban retook power in 2021, border clashes erupted between the Taliban with its neighbors includes Iran and Pakistan , leading to casualties on both sides. In

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4576-421: The departure of coalition forces , after 20 years of Taliban insurgency , and now controls the entire country. The Taliban government is not recognized by any country and has been internationally condemned for restricting human rights , including women 's rights to work and have an education . The Taliban emerged in 1994 as a prominent faction in the Afghan Civil War and largely consisted of students from

4664-408: The deserts and steppe were home of wandering nomads of Turko-Mongolian and Iranian stocks ( Aymaq ). In the 16th century, the Turkic Uzbek influence came to Maymana with the invasions of Turkistan and Herat by Muhammad Shaibani . For the region it was again a complicated time. However, Shaibani was defeated by the Iranian Saffavids but the Uzbek elements remained dominant from then up to day in

4752-490: The early months of Taliban rule, international journalists have had some access to Afghanistan. In February 2022, several international journalists, including Andrew North were detained. The Committee to Protect Journalists described their detention as "a sad reflection of the overall decline of press freedom and increasing attacks on journalists under Taliban rule." The journalists were released after several days. Subsequently, watchdog organizations have continued to document

4840-574: The former sole Sikh member of parliament, Narendra Singh Khalsa , returned to Afghanistan for the first time since the collapse of the Republic. In September 2021, the government ordered primary schools to reopen for both sexes and announced plans to reopen secondary schools for male students, without committing to do the same for female students. While the Taliban stated that female college students will be able to resume higher education provided that they are segregated from male students (and professors, when possible), The Guardian noted that "if

4928-446: The government are "being forced to sign in at their jobs and then go home, to create the illusion of equity"; and the appointment of ethnic minorities has been dismissed by an "adviser to the Taliban" as tokenism. Reports have "circulated" of "Hazara farmers being forced from their land by ethnic Pashtuns, of raids of activists' homes, and of extrajudicial executions of former government soldiers and intelligence agents". According to

5016-441: The group is normally referred to as per Pashto grammar: دَ طَالِبَانْ ( Da Taliban ) or دَ طَالِبَانُو ( Da Talibano ). After the Soviet Union intervened and occupied Afghanistan in 1979, Islamic mujahideen fighters waged a war against Soviet forces. During the Soviet–Afghan War , nearly all of the Taliban's original leaders had fought for either the Hezb-i Islami Khalis or the Harakat-i Inqilab-e Islami factions of

5104-430: The high schools do not reopen for girls, the commitments to allow university education would become meaningless once the current cohort of students graduated." Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani said that female university students will be required to observe proper hijab , but did not specify if this required covering the face. Kabul University reopened in February 2022, with female students attending in

5192-446: The invasion of the country deliberately ignored bacha bazi . The US military responded by claiming the abuse was largely the responsibility of the "local Afghan government". The Taliban has criticized the US role in the abuse of Afghan children. Turkestan Turkestan , also spelled Turkistan , is a historical region in Central Asia corresponding to the regions of Transoxiana and East Turkestan ( Xinjiang ). The region

5280-678: The keeping of pigeons and other pets were also forbidden, and the birds were killed according to the Taliban's rules. Movie theatres were closed and repurposed as mosques. The celebration of the Western and Iranian New Years was also forbidden. Taking photographs and displaying pictures and portraits were also forbidden, because the Taliban considered them forms of idolatry . This extended even to "blacking out illustrations on packages of baby soap in shops and painting over road-crossing signs for livestock. Women were banned from working, girls were forbidden to attend schools or universities, were required to observe purdah (physical separation of

5368-403: The launching pad for global terrorist operations", before it recognizes the Taliban government. In conversation with journalist Anderson, senior Taliban leaders implied that the harsh application of sharia during their first era of rule in the 1990s was necessary because of the "depravity" and "chaos" that remained from the Soviet occupation, but that now "mercy and compassion" were the order of

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5456-557: The leader of the Afghan resistance against the Taliban, and Bismillah Khan, who currently serves as Afghanistan's interior minister. One of our commanders, Commandant Momin, wanted us to see 30 Taliban fighters who had been taken hostage after a gun battle. My brother agreed to meet them. I remember that his first question concerned the centuries-old Buddha statues that were dynamited by the Taliban in March of that year, shortly before our encounter. Two Taliban combatants from Kandahar confidently responded that worshiping anything outside of Islam

5544-422: The market language which was mostly Chagatai language Uzbek and Pashtun . However, documents show it was a city of different a minority of ethnicities and people such as Turkmens , Tajiks . In 1958, the population was estimated to be 30,000. By 1979 this had risen to 38,250, and by 1982 to 56,973. Since there was never an official population census, those previous data should not be taken seriously. In 2004, it

5632-442: The morning and males in the afternoon. Other than the closure of the music department, few changes to the curriculum were reported. Female students were officially required to wear an abaya and a hijab to attend, although some wore a shawl instead. Attendance was reportedly low on the first day. In March 2022, the Taliban abruptly halted plans to allow girls to resume secondary school education even when separated from males. At

5720-444: The nearby Altai Mountains , and, through nomadic settlement, started their long journey westwards. Much earlier than the Gokturks or their Orkhon Inscriptions, other groups such as the Huns conquered the area after they conquered Kashgaria in the early 2nd century BC. With the dissolution of the Huns' Empire, Chinese rulers took over Eastern Central Asia, which was centuries later also called Turkestan. Arab forces captured it in

5808-418: The old terrace of the Qeysar or Maymana River, which is a right tributary of the Murghab River . The Maymana River branches off of the Band-e Turkistan River 50 km south of the city. The highlands of the Maymana region generally possess a very rich topsoil which supports the seasonal agricultural activities. Maymana is a trading and transit hub in northern Afghanistan. Just over half of the land in Maymana

5896-406: The province. As part of the International Security Assistance Force operation in Afghanistan, a Provincial Reconstruction Team led by Norway formerly operated in the province. The team also included Latvian troops. Maymana is served by Maymana Airport which had direct flights to Herat as of May 2014. The town serves an agricultural area irrigated from the Qeysar River and also handles

5984-402: The region until in the 18th and 19th centuries. During that time the city became the center of the Maimana Khanate and an important centre for commerce, as well as being the gateway to Turkistan from Herat and Iran . It served as an important cultural and trade centre for the whole region and served to connect various different states and peoples. Under the Uzbek rule, the city experienced

6072-442: The region, nearly 200 years, to recover from the damage the nomadic and invading Turko-Mongol foreigners from northern Central Asia had caused. The area's population remained thin and the commercial trade was very weak but enough for the survivors to develop new agricultural and rebuild old structures. While the city was garrisoned and hosted Iranians and some Arabs, the villages as well owned by Iranians and settled remnants of Arabs,

6160-573: The relative moderation of the new Taliban government and statements from its officials such as – "We have started a new page. We do not want to be entangled with the past," –?include that it did not expect to take over the country so quickly and still had "problems to work out among" their factions"; that $ 7 billion in Afghan government funds in US banks has been frozen, and that the 80% of the previous government's budget that came from "the United States, its partners, or international lenders", has been shut off, creating serious economic crisis; according to

6248-521: The religious schools of Kandahar and were influenced significantly by foreign support, particularly from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, during the Soviet–Afghan War. They emerged in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s, capturing Kandahar and expanding their control across the country; they became involved in a war with the Northern Alliance . The international response to the Taliban varied, with some countries providing support while others opposed and did not recognize their regime. During their rule from 1996 to 2001,

6336-481: The rule of Islamic State ally Ismail Khan also witnessed relative calm. Meanwhile, southern Afghanistan was neither under the control of foreign-backed militias nor the government in Kabul, but was ruled by local leaders such as Gul Agha Sherzai and their militias. The Taliban movement originated in Pashtun nationalism , and its ideological underpinnings are with that of broader Afghan society. The Taliban's roots lie in

6424-575: The security forces were also killed by the Taliban within days of registering with them to receive a letter guaranteeing their safety. Despite Taliban claims that the ISIS has been defeated, IS carried out suicide bombings in October 2021 at Shia mosques in Kunduz and Kandahar , killing over 115 people. As of late 2021, there were still "sticky bomb" explosions "every few days" in the capital Kabul. Explanations for

6512-400: The sexes) and awrah (concealing the body with clothing), and to be accompanied by male relatives outside their households; those who violated these restrictions were punished. Men were forbidden to shave their beards and they were also required to let them grow and keep them long according to the Taliban's rules, and they were also required to wear turbans outside their households. Prayer

6600-402: The spelling Taliban has gained predominance over the spelling Taleban . In American English , the definite article is used, the group is referred to as "the Taliban", rather than "Taliban". In English-language media in Pakistan, the definite article is always omitted. Both Pakistani and Indian English -language media tend to name the group "Afghan Taliban", thus distinguishing it from

6688-423: The street, Zabihullah Mujahid (acting Deputy Minister of Information and Culture) noted there are still women working in a number of government ministries, and claimed that girls will be allowed to attend secondary education when bank funds are unfrozen and the government can fund "separate" spaces and transportation for them. When asked about the slaughter of Hazara Shia by the first Taliban régime, Suhail Shaheen,

6776-436: The time, The Washington Post reported that apart from university students, "sixth is now the highest grade girls may attend". The Afghan Ministry of Education cited the lack of an acceptable design for female student uniforms. On December 20, 2022, in violation of their prior promises, the Taliban banned female students from attending higher education institutions with immediate effect. The following day, December 21, 2022,

6864-526: The trade in Karakul sheep with nomads. Maymana is an important livestock centre in Afghanistan. In the 1970s, the wool and cotton processing industry was booming in the city. Maymana is a market for leather goods, silk, carpets, wheat, barley, melons and grapes. There is also an airport located 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Maymana in a valley surrounded by hills and a range of mountains with some peaks reaching 12,000 ft.; 24 miles (39 km) southeast of

6952-503: The world's best-equipped militaries"; and as an ideological insurgent movement dedicated to "bringing about a truly Islamic state" its victory has been compared to that of the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949 or Iranian Revolution of 1979, with their "sweeping" remake of society. However, as of 2021–2022, senior Taliban leaders have emphasized the "softness" of their revolution and how they desired "good relations" with

7040-804: Was a departure from the Islamism of the anti-Soviet mujahideen rulers and the radical Islamists inspired by the Sayyid Qutb (Ikhwan). The Taliban have said they aim to restore peace and security to Afghanistan, including Western troops leaving, and to enforce Sharia , or Islamic law, once in power. According to journalist Ahmed Rashid , at least in the first years of their rule, the Taliban adopted Deobandi and Islamist anti-nationalist beliefs, and they opposed "tribal and feudal structures", removing traditional tribal or feudal leaders from leadership roles. The Taliban strictly enforced their ideology in major cities like Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar. But in rural areas,

7128-568: Was also forbidden under the six-year rule of the Taliban régime. Under the rule of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, it carried the death penalty . The practice remained illegal during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's rule, but the laws were seldom enforced against powerful offenders and police had reportedly been complicit in related crimes. A controversy arose during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's rule, after allegations surfaced that US government forces in Afghanistan after

7216-478: Was called Moghulistan (“Mongol land”). The Western part (inhabited by nomads of Syr-darya and settled peoples of Khwarazm ) was called Turkestan (Turk land), although they were both inhabited by linguistically Turkic ethnic groups. Beginning in the nineteenth century, the term Turkestan was also applied to Ferghana and Mawara-an-nahr by the Russians. On their way southward during the conquest of Central Asia in

7304-417: Was estimated that Maymana has a population of 75,900 but was not backed by any evidence. In 2015, the population was estimated to be 149,040 by UN supported observers. Maymana has 10 districts and a total land area of 3,461 hectares . The total number of dwellings in this city are 16,560. The town is of ancient origin. It seems clear that Maymana citadel dates back to the early Iron Age . Ceramic materials in

7392-435: Was made compulsory and those men who did not respect the religious obligation after the azaan were arrested. Gambling was banned, and the Taliban punished thieves by amputating their hands or feet . In 2000, the Taliban's leader Mullah Omar officially banned opium cultivation and drug trafficking in Afghanistan; the Taliban succeeded in nearly eradicating the majority of the opium production (99%) by 2001. During

7480-639: Was modelled on those of Abul A'la Maududi and the Jamaat-e-Islami movement. The Taliban, being largely Pashtun tribesmen, frequently follow a pre-Islamic cultural tribal code which is focused on preserving honour. Pashtunwali strongly influences decisions in regards to other social matters. It is best described as subconscious social values and attitudes which promote various qualities such as bravery, preserving honour, being hospitable to all guests, seeking revenge and justice if one has been wronged, and providing sanctuary to anyone who seeks refuge, even if it

7568-575: Was paralysed from the start, due to rival groups contending for total power over Kabul and Afghanistan. Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin party refused to recognise the interim government, and in April infiltrated Kabul to take power for itself, thus starting this civil war. In May, Hekmatyar started attacks against government forces and Kabul. Hekmatyar received operational, financial and military support from Pakistan's ISI. With that help, Hekmatyar's forces were able to destroy half of Kabul. Iran assisted

7656-597: Was then under the control of the Farighunid , a native dynasty . From the 9th to 11th century the region was ruled by several rulers and dynasties ( Saffarid , Mihrabanid , Nasrid ...) from Sistan and then being subjugated by the Iranian Samanid and the Irano-Turkic Ghaznavid and Khwarizm rulers. In the 12th and 13th century the region was devastated by nomadic Turks and invading Mongols. It took long for

7744-548: Was unacceptable and that therefore these statues had to be destroyed. My brother looked at them and said, this time in Pashto, 'There are still many sun- worshippers in this country. Will you also try to get rid of the sun and drop darkness over the Earth?' The Afghan custom of bacha bazi , a form of pederastic sexual slavery , child sexual abuse and pedophilia which is traditionally practiced in various provinces of Afghanistan between older men and young adolescent "dancing boys",

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