Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ← 1996–2001 → Flag Coat of arms Capital Kabul Government Islamic theocracy Head of the Supreme Council  - 1996–2001 Mohammed Omar Historical era Post-Cold War War on Terror  - Established 1996  - Disestablished 2001

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ^[1] was founded in 1996 when the Taliban began their rule of Afghanistan and ended with their fall from power in 2001. At the peak of their influence the Taliban never controlled the entire area of Afghanistan, as about 10% of the country in the northeast was held by the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan.^{[citation needed]}

History

The Taliban and its rule arose from the chaos of post-Soviet Afghanistan. It began as an Islamic fundamentalist politico-religious movement composed of madrassa students in the Helmand and Kandahar region of Afghanistan. Overwhelmingly local ethnic Pashtuns, the Taliban blended Pashtunwali tribal code with elements of Deobandi Islamic teaching to form an anti-Western, anti-modern, and highly restrictive Islamic fundamentalist ideology with which it ruled.^[2]

Spreading from Kandahar, the Taliban eventually seized Kabul in 1996. By the end of 2000, the Taliban were able to capture 95% of the country, aside from the opposition (Afghan Northern Alliance) strongholds primarily found in the northeast corner of Badakhshan Province. The Taliban sought to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law and were later implicated as supporters of mujahideen, most notably by harbouring Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.^{[citation needed]}

During the five-year history of the Islamic Emirate, much of the population experienced restrictions on their freedom and violations of their human rights.^{[citation needed]} Women were banned from jobs, girls forbidden to attend schools or universities.^{[citation needed]} Those who resisted were punished instantly.^{[citation needed]} Communists were systematically eradicated and thieves were punished by amputating one of their hands or feet.^{[citation needed]} Meanwhile, the Taliban managed to nearly eradicate the majority of the opium production by 2001.^[3]

Following the Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Shia minority, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Relations with the Taliban deteriorated further in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazari Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats. Following this incident, Iran almost went to war with the Taliban regions of Afghanistan but intervention by the United Nations Security Council and the United States prevented an imminent Iranian invasion.

Lack of international recognition

Only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates recognized the Taliban government. The state was not recognised in the UN. Turkmenistan, however, was known to have held official meetings and agreements with Taliban government ministers.

One reason for this lack of international recognition was the Taliban's disregard for international law.^{[citation needed]} One of the first acts of the Islamic Emirate was the killing of the former President of Afghanistan, Mohammad Najibullah. Before the Taliban had even taken control of Afghanistan's capital they sent out a squad to arrest, torture, mutilate and kill Najibullah, leaving his body hanging from a street lamp outside the presidential palace for two days. As Najibullah was staying in the United Nations compound in Kabul, this was a violation of international law.^[4] The Taliban regime was also heavily criticised for the murder of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan^[4][5] in 1998.

Mohammed Omar continues to speak in the name of this Emirate.^[6]

See also

• Afghanistan
• Taliban
• Islamic Emirate of Waziristan
• History of Afghanistan since 1992
• Mullah Kabir

References and notes

External links

• 2001 - Interview with Mullah Omar, 14 June 2001
• Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2000, Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, February 23, 2001 for Afghanistan
• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan English Language Website

v • d • e Heads of state of Afghanistan since 1919 Emirate Amanullah Khan · Habibullah Ghazi Kingdom Amanullah Khan · Inayatullah Khan · Mohammed Nadir Shah · Mohammed Zahir Shah Daoud Republic Mohammed Daoud Khan Military Dictatorship Abdul Qadir Dagarwal Democratic Republic Nur Muhammad Taraki · Hafizullah Amin · Babrak Karmal · Haji Mohammad Chamkani · Mohammad Najibullah Republic Mohammad Najibullah · Abdul Rahim Hatef Islamic State Sibghatullah Mojaddedi · Burhanuddin Rabbani Islamic Emirate Mohammed Omar Islamic Republic Burhanuddin Rabbani · Hamid Karzai Monarchs of Afghanistan · Presidents of Afghanistan