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Definition:
The Taliban ("the Seekers") was originally organized in September, 1994, in Kandahar,
a southern province of Afghanistan. The principle members were all graduates of
Pakistani Islamic schools (madrassas) which were controlled by the fundamentalist
organization Jamiat-e-Ulema.
Comprised primarily of Pashtuns, just one of the many ethnic groups which live in Afghanistan, the Taliban was controlled from the beginning by mullah Mohammad Omar. Their primary goal was the creation of an Islamic revolution within Afghanistan to overthrow the Russian-backed government and replace it with an Islamic theocracy. Their form of theocracy was even more strict than what could be found in Iran. They applied the Sharia is the harshest ways possible and created a "Department for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice" for enforcement.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: Taleban
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Islam?
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