The history and scale of the Taliban, the next big thing after al-Qaeda.

 The History and Scale of the Taliban The Taliban is an Islamist extremist group that emerged from the Afghan civil war in the 1990s. The group rose to power in Afghanistan in 1996 and ruled the country until 2001, when they were ousted by a US-led coalition. Despite this setback, the Taliban has remained a major force in Afghanistan and has been involved in ongoing conflict in the country since 2001. Origins of the Taliban The Taliban emerged from the Afghan civil war in the 1990s, which followed the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989. The country was left in a state of chaos, with various groups vying for power. In this context, the Taliban emerged as a new force in Afghan politics. The group's origins can be traced to the The group's origins can be traced to the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. Many of the Taliban's early leaders were former mujahideen fighters who had received support from the United States and other Western countries during