Afghan Taliban fighters pose on their military tank 25 kms north of Kabul. AFP
Afghan Taliban fighters pose on their military tank 25 kms north of Kabul. AFP

1995 - Taliban rise to power

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Updated 19 April 2025
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1995 - Taliban rise to power

1995 - Taliban rise to power
  • From madrassas to military dominance, the rise of the Taliban reshaped Afghanistan and the world

KABUL: The emergence of the Taliban in the mid-1990s reshaped the political and social landscape of Afghanistan. What began as a movement of religious students seeking to restore order in a war-torn country quickly morphed into an uncompromising force that dominated the country for five years before being ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001. 

The origins of the Taliban can be traced to the discontent that followed the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 after a decade of conflict. As warlords and other factions vied for control, Afghanistan descended into lawlessness and violence. 

The power vacuum left by Russia’s departure led to intense infighting among former mujahideen groups, particularly between factions loyal to regional warlords such as Burhanuddin Rabbani and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. 

In response to this anarchy, students from madrassas (Islamic religious schools), many of whom had fought in the anti-Soviet jihad, began organizing themselves as the “Taliban,” the Pashto word for “students,” under the leadership of Mullah Mohammed Omar, an Islamic scholar. 

Inspired by a vision of strict Islamic governance, the Taliban emerged as a movement that promised to end the cycle of warlordism and corruption that had gripped Afghanistan. This commitment to law and order helped the Taliban rise to power in less than two years. 

How we wrote it




Arab News reported the Taliban’s takeover of Herat, delivering a major blow to President Burhanuddin Rabbani.

The movement first gained traction in southern Afghanistan, particularly in the provinces of Paktika, Ghazni and Zabul. Early supporters included traders and civilians who had suffered under the unchecked violence of local warlords. 

The group undertook their first significant military action in late 1994, when they captured key checkpoints between Helmand and Kandahar, an area plagued by lawlessness. 

A turning point came in October 1994 when the Taliban seized Spin Boldak, a key border town near Pakistan and close to Kandahar, which would become their power base in the years that followed. This victory provided them with financial resources and a strategic recruitment base, and madrassa students arrived in droves from Pakistan to join the movement. 

These students from seminaries in Pakistan played a crucial role in the capture of Kandahar on Nov. 15, 1994. The Taliban met with little resistance and their victory established the group as a formidable force, allowing them to expand their influence rapidly. 

By early 1995, the Taliban had taken the city of Ghazni and the province of Maidan Wardak as they moved ever-closer to Kabul. Their swift and ruthless military strategy allowed them to seize the Afghan capital on Sept. 27, 1996. Once in power, the Taliban declared Afghanistan an Islamic Emirate and implemented a strict interpretation of Shariah. 

Key Dates

  • 1

    Taliban attack a checkpoint near Kandahar, marking their first military engagement.

    Timeline Image Sept. 29, 1994

  • 2

    The group seize Kandahar, establishing a base for expansion.

    Timeline Image Nov. 15, 1994

  • 3

    Herat city, Afghanistan’s gateway to Iran, falls to the Taliban with little resistance from its governor, Ismail Khan of the Jamiat-e-Islami party.

  • 4

    Taliban capture Kabul and declare Afghanistan an Islamic Emirate.

    Timeline Image Sept. 26, 1996

  • 5

    Al-Qaeda attacks America.

    Timeline Image Sept. 11, 2001

  • 6

    US forces launch Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

    Timeline Image Oct. 7, 2001

  • 7

    Kandahar falls, marking the end of Taliban rule.

    Timeline Image Dec. 9, 2001

  • 8

    US forces withdraw from Afghanistan, clearing the way for Taliban’s return to power.

Between 1997 and 2000, they extended their rule over 90 percent of Afghanistan. Their governance was marked by extreme restrictions on the rights of women, public executions and the suppression of cultural heritage, culminating in the destruction in 2001 of two massive 6th-century Buddhist statues in central Afghanistan’s Bamiyan valley. 

By then, the Taliban’s rigid and ruthless ideology had alienated much of the international community. 

Although some argue the rise of the Taliban was entirely indigenous, external influences certainly played a part. 

The Pakistani government of the time, led by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, viewed a stable Afghanistan as essential for regional trade. Bhutto publicly denied supporting the Taliban but admitted that ensuring stability in Afghanistan was a priority. “Whatever the people of Afghanistan decide is the best form of government for them, it will be acceptable to us,” she said. 

Her interior minister, Maj. Gen. Naseer Ullah Khan Babar, openly admitted that Pakistan supported the Taliban, referring to them as “my boys.” 

Amid the religious community, Maulana Sami Ul-Haq, one of Pakistan’s leading scholars, claimed to have contributed significantly to the Taliban movement. 

An analysis of his 2015 book, “Afghan Taliban: War of Ideology – Struggle for Peace,” reveals that while he denied allegations of providing military support or training, he proudly referred to himself as the “father of the Taliban.” He claimed that nearly 20,000 Afghan students graduated from his seminary over 50 years. 




Man from an aid-distribution team uses a stick to control crowd of Afghan women who gather to get relief in Kabul. AFP

“According to an estimate, about 90 percent of the Taliban in the Afghan government are graduates of Darul Uloom (the Islamic seminary he founded in northwestern Pakistan),” he wrote, adding: “It would not be wrong to say that (Darul Uloom) Haqqania is the nursery of the Taliban.” 

However, closer analysis of events — which were mostly documented as a first-hand account in the book “Taliban: A Critical History from Within,” written by Abdul Mutma’in, personal secretary to leader Mullah Omar — suggests that domestic conditions, primarily created by former warlords and Jihadi groups, along with the Taliban’s own military strategy and strength were the key factors in their rise to power. 

The Taliban’s first period of rule would be short-lived, however. Following the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001, Washington issued an ultimatum demanding the extradition of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who had been sheltered by the Taliban since 1996. The group refused, US troops invaded Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2001, and the American-led coalition, in collaboration with the Northern Alliance, rapidly dismantled the Taliban’s military strongholds. 

By December 2001 Kandahar had fallen and the Taliban leadership, including Mullah Omar, were in hiding. A regime that rose so rapidly from the chaos of post-Soviet Afghanistan collapsed just as swiftly. 

Time, however, and patience were on the side of the Taliban. After two decades of conflict, the US grew weary of what had become its longest war, and in August 2021 it pulled out of the country, leaving the Taliban free to swiftly reclaim power. 

  • Naimat Khan is a Pakistani journalist based in Karachi with more than two decades of experience covering militancy, human rights and politics. He currently reports for Arab News. 


Saudi-based Wyld VC unveils $50m AI fund

Saudi-based Wyld VC unveils $50m AI fund
Updated 6 min 40 sec ago
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Saudi-based Wyld VC unveils $50m AI fund

Saudi-based Wyld VC unveils $50m AI fund

RIYADH: Wyld VC, a new early-stage venture capital firm founded by Saudi investor Tala Hasan Al-Jabri, has announced the launch of its inaugural $50 million fund — marking the first AI-native VC fund to emerge from the MENA region.

The launch coincided with US President Donald Trump’s high-profile visit to Riyadh from May 13-16, a trip focused on strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors including defense, technology, and artificial intelligence.

“The GCC is leading the charge in catalyzing an AI revolution—through massive infrastructure investments, advanced research and model deployment, and transparent, innovation-forward regulation,” said Al-Jabri, founder and managing partner of Wyld VC. “However, the region’s greatest gap is AI talent. Wyld VC is here to fill that gap.”

The firm is backed by the family office of Lawrence E. Golub, representing the office’s first investment in the region.

“Tala is a highly accomplished, talented investor, with a track record of success investing in innovative, early-stage technology companies,” said Golub. “Her considerable investment acumen, combined with her unparalleled and comprehensive ties and network in the Gulf and the US, offer a unique investment opportunity. I am excited to be supporting Tala and Wyld on this compelling new venture, and I look forward to working with her and her team.”

Wyld VC aims to support what it calls “Wyld minds” — founders advancing the frontiers of AI and shaping the next wave of the human experience. The fund will focus on AI middleware and applications, the layers seen as offering the most transformative potential across industries.

Artificial intelligence has become a strategic priority across the Gulf, where governments and institutions are aggressively investing in research, infrastructure, and regulatory innovation. Against this backdrop, Wyld VC seeks to bridge a critical gap: nurturing the next generation of AI talent in the region.

Al-Jabri is one of MENA’s earliest and most respected tech investors, with a portfolio that includes regional successes like Tabby and international ventures such as the fast-growing U.S. startup Starcloud. She is also a trailblazer for women in Saudi Arabia, becoming the first woman to serve as a partner at a venture capital firm in the Kingdom — a milestone that earned her the title of Woman of the Year 2022 in Finance by Arabian Business.

“Founders in AI need a partner that caters to their unique needs. That’s what Wyld VC is here to provide and we have the best partners to carry forward this mission,” said Al-Jabri.

With deep ties across MENA and the US, Wyld VC enters the market at a time of heightened global interest in AI and regional momentum for tech-led transformation.


Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM

Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM
Updated 10 min 41 sec ago
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Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM

Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM

THE HAGUE: Israel has asked the International Criminal Court to dismiss its arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant while ICC judges reconsider complex jurisdictional questions.
In a 14-page document dated May 9 but posted on the ICC website on Monday, Israel argued the warrants issued in November were null and void while judges weigh a previous Israeli challenge to the ICC’s jurisdiction in the case.
In a ruling that made headlines around the world, the ICC found “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore “criminal responsibility” for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza.
The court also issued a war crimes warrant against top Hamas commander Mohammed Deif over the October 7 attacks that sparked the conflict. The case against Deif was dropped in February after his death.
Israel, not one of the ICC’s 125 members, challenged the court’s jurisdiction but judges on the ICC’s “Pre-Trial Chamber” dismissed the bid and issued the arrest warrants.
But last month, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber ruled the Pre-Trial Chamber was wrong to dismiss the challenge and ordered it to look again in detail at Israel’s arguments.
Israel says now that the arrest warrants should not stay in place while this complex and lengthy process is ongoing.
“Unless and until the Pre-Trial Chamber has ruled on the substance of the jurisdiction challenge... the prerequisite jurisdictional finding does not exist,” Israel argued.
“It follows that the arrest warrants issued on 21 November 2024 must be withdrawn or vacated pending the Pre-Trial Chamber’s determination of Israel’s jurisdictional challenge.”
Israel and its allies reacted furiously to the warrants issued on November 21, Netanyahu describing it as an “anti-Semitic decision” and then US president Joe Biden slamming it as “outrageous.”
Technically, any member of the ICC is required to arrest Netanyahu if he travels there, although the court has no independent power to enforce warrants.
Israel argued in its submission that Netanyahu could theoretically be arrested while the court was still weighing whether it had jurisdiction in the case.
“Depriving persons of their liberty on the basis of an arrest warrant issued in the absence of the necessary legal pre-conditions is an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and of the rule of law,” Israel argued.
Allowing the warrants to stay in place during the deliberations “is unlawful and undermines the legitimacy of the court,” said Israel.


Syrian, Turkish foreign ministers address security issues in Ankara

Syrian, Turkish foreign ministers address security issues in Ankara
Updated 12 min 50 sec ago
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Syrian, Turkish foreign ministers address security issues in Ankara

Syrian, Turkish foreign ministers address security issues in Ankara
  • Officials convened during trilateral meeting involving Syria, Turkiye and Jordan

LONDON: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Ankara on Monday.

The officials convened during trilateral talks, which included Jordan’s foreign minister, to address joint security and economic issues in the region.

The ministers discussed various issues, including Israeli actions in the southern Syrian Arab Republic since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, as well as coordination with Arab states and the international community to support Syria’s security, stability and sovereignty.


Most Gulf shares gain on US-China tariff deal; Egypt snaps losing streak

Most Gulf shares gain on US-China tariff deal; Egypt snaps losing streak
Updated 19 min 26 sec ago
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Most Gulf shares gain on US-China tariff deal; Egypt snaps losing streak

Most Gulf shares gain on US-China tariff deal; Egypt snaps losing streak

LONDON: Gulf equities ended higher on Monday as the US and China agreed to temporarily slash harsh reciprocal tariffs while US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Saudi Arabia and Gulf states on Tuesday also raised investor sentiment.

The US will cut extra tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports in April to 30 percent from 145 percent and Chinese duties on US imports will fall to 10 percent from 125 percent, the two countries said on Monday following talks in Geneva. The new measures are effective for 90 days.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index rose 1.3 percent, the sharpest rise in a month with almost all sectors in the green.

Saudi Aramco gained 2.2 percent after the world’s top oil exporter reported a net profit of SR97.54 billion ($26.01 billion) in the first quarter on Sunday, beating a company-provided median estimate from 16 analysts of $25.36 billion.

Among other gainers, National Industrialization Co. rose 1.1 percent after the petrochemical company posted a quarterly net profit compared to a net loss a year earlier.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the US are set to discuss a number of blockbuster economic deals during Trump’s visit on Tuesday, with the US poised to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, sources have told Reuters.

The Qatari benchmark index continued its three-session winning streak and rose 0.7 percent, with most stocks posting gains.

Qatar National Bank, the region’s largest lender, gained 2 percent and Qatar Electricity and Water climbed 4 percent, its biggest rise in more than a year.

Qatar’s main electricity and desalinated water supplier, QEWC said on Monday that Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation ‘Kahramaa’ has signed a strategic agreement with QEWC, QatarEnergy, and Sumitomo Corporation to build the Ras Abu Fontas Independent Water and Power Facility at a cost of 13.5 billion Qatari riyals ($3.71 billion).

Dubai’s benchmark stock index was up 0.4 percent, helped by a 7.3 percent rise in Parkin and a 2.8 percent gain in Talabat Holding.

The online food ordering company Talabat reported a first-quarter net profit of $103.3 million. The Abu Dhabi benchmark index edged up 0.1 percent with Aldar Properties gaining 1 percent and Fertiglobe rising 2.2 percent.

The fertilizer producer has signed an asset sale and purchase agreement to acquire the distribution assets of Wengfu Australia Pty Ltd.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index advanced 0.5 percent after three consecutive sessions of losses. Commercial International Bank rose 1.1 percent and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Egypt climbed 3.6 percent.

The lender reported a 43 percent rise in first quarter net profit.


Emir of Kuwait, Lebanese president discuss historic opportunity to shape future

Emir of Kuwait, Lebanese president discuss historic opportunity to shape future
Updated 25 min 6 sec ago
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Emir of Kuwait, Lebanese president discuss historic opportunity to shape future

Emir of Kuwait, Lebanese president discuss historic opportunity to shape future
  • The meeting at Bayan Palace in Kuwait addressed the recent developments in Lebanon
  • Officials highlighted that Lebanon has a historic opportunity to shape its future

LONDON: Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met with Lebanese President Gen. Joseph Aoun on Monday morning to discuss ways to enhance collaboration between their countries in various sectors.

The meeting at Bayan Palace in Kuwait addressed the recent developments in Lebanon. Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah, and senior officials from both countries attended the meeting.

Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah stated that the discussions centered on strengthening ties and exploring ways to develop them across all possible areas.

Officials highlighted that Lebanon has a historic opportunity to shape its future, overcome past challenges, and initiate reconstruction and development to fulfil the aspirations of the Lebanese people for security and stability, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

Sheikh Mohammad noted that the session also addressed key issues of mutual interest, methods to enhance unified Arab action, and recent regional and international developments.