Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

TALIBAN • 659talist groups, such as Osama bin Laden’s al Qa’eda group, to trainand equip themselves for attacks in nations outside Afghanistan. TheTaliban steadfastly refused to obey U.S. or Saudi Arabian demands toextradite bin Laden. Second, there was evidence of collusion betweenthe Taliban and Pakistani security forces in promoting Muslim Kashmiriseparatists operating in the Indian-controlled portion of Jammuand Kashmir. Finally, after having been overthrown in Afghanistanby U.S.-led forces in late 2001 following their refusal to turn overOsama bin Laden after the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacksof September 11, 2001, they have continued to fight U.S.-ledforces within Afghanistan as well as Pakistani security forces in thenorthwestern tribal areas of Pakistan and are believed to be behind terroristactivities within Pakistan, including the assassination of formerPakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto on 27 December 2007.Following the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks, PresidentGeorge W. Bush called upon the Taliban on 17 September 2001 to surrenderOsama bin Laden and other members of his al Qa’eda networkto U.S. authorities. After the Taliban refused to do so, the United Stateslaunched operations on 7 October 2001 against Taliban and al Qa’edaforces within Afghanistan. After six weeks of heavy U.S. air strikes,forces of the Northern Alliance advanced and occupied Mazar-i Sharifon 9 November and Herat on 11 November, and entered Kabul by 13November following the retreat of Taliban forces. By mid-November,the Taliban were abandoning the cities and towns of Afghanistan andapparently regrouping in the mountains or fleeing the scene.Taliban forces were estimated to be 30,000 to 40,000 fighters priorto the U.S.-led invasion in October 2001. It is estimated that at least10,000 Taliban forces were killed during the operations leading to thecapture of Qandahar, after which most Taliban forces dispersed intothe Afghan countryside or fled into the neighboring tribal regionsof northern and southern Waziristan in Pakistan. During 2002 about1,500 people, mainly Afghan civilians, were killed by Taliban and alQa’eda forces. During 2003–2004 the Taliban appeared to be on thedefensive and without any coherent strategy, while the new Afghangovernment appeared to be consolidating stability and legitimacy.Beginning in 2005, however, the Taliban and al Qa’eda forcesbegan a resurgence with numerous attacks on Afghani and NorthAtlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces under the command ofthe International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) created in 2003.