The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي امارت, Da Afġānistān Islāmī Amārāt) is an Islamic state governed by the Taliban that is the de facto current government of Afghanistan since 2021, and has also ruled the country from 1996 to 2001.
Between 1996 and 2001, it controlled approximately 90% of the country as an insurgency, whereas remaining regions in the northeast were held by the Northern Alliance, which maintained broad international recognition as a continuation of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. After the September 11 attacks and subsequent declaration of a "War on Terrorism" by the United States, international opposition to the regime drastically increased, with diplomatic recognition from the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan being rescinded.
The Islamic Emirate was overthrown by the Northern Alliance on 17 December 2001, which had been bolstered by the ISAF coalition established after a U.S.-led invasion of the country two months prior. The Taliban has continued to refer to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in official communications from 2001 until 2021.
During the 2021 Taliban offensive, the Islamic Emirate regained effective control of the governance of Afghanistan following the Fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021.
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