Afghanistan

Afghanistan Three regions: Mountains and its fertile valleys – where most Afghans live North of Hindu Kush – semiarid plains South of Hindi Kush – mostly desert Kush = death About the size of Texas Home to 26 million people most are illiterate, poor Most ethnic groups and different languages – tribes People are united through Islam In 1979 – rebellion – government asks for help from Soviet Union US and Pakistan arm & train Afghans fighting the soviets These were the Mujahedeen and Osama bin Laden War ends in 1989 when Soviets leave 1994 – the Taliban (“the students”) seize Kandahar ad then move to take over the rest of Afghanistan 1996 – Taliban take Kabul (capital) and enforce strict Islamic code of Afghans Osama bin Laden returned to Afghanistan as a “guest” but operated the terrorist group al Qaeda Purpose – to reestablish the Muslim state through the world