The Taliban view themselves as the humble servant of God on Earth. Their name literally means “students,” in this case, “students” of medieval-era extremist teachings under the Sunni-Hanafi Islamic school. But where terrorist allies of the Taliban such as al Qaeda are centered in Salafi-jihadi narratives, the Taliban are more complicated. They also have roots in Pashtun tribal politics, a dynamic that has given the group enduring influence in southern and eastern Afghanistan.
Dark age returned to #Afghanistan.
The Taliban are punishing the journalist that worked with foreign media in Jalalabad.#Kabul. pic.twitter.com/hzND30Zhgj
— Hizbullah Khan (@HizbkKhan) August 18, 2021
h/t Canuklehead
