The Afghan Taliban is a militant group that emerged in the early 1990s in Afghanistan. They gained control of the country in 1996 and ruled until 2001, implementing strict interpretations of Islamic law. The group was ousted by a U.S.-led coalition following the September 11 attacks, as they had provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda. After years of insurgency, the Taliban regained power in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew. Their return raised concerns about human rights, particularly for women and girls, as well as the potential for terrorism to resurge in the region.