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The history of the Taliban is crucial in understanding their success now – and also what might happen next

  • Written by Ali A. Olomi, Assistant Professor of History, Penn State
imageThe Taliban came to the fore during Afghanistan's civil war that followed the Soviet pullout of 1989. Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

The rapid takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban left many surprised. To Ali Olomi, a historian of the Middle East and Islam at Penn State University, a key to understanding what is happening now – and what...

Read more: The history of the Taliban is crucial in understanding their success now – and also what might...

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