Editing Taliban (section)

=== Overview ===

Until his death in 2013, Mullah Mullah Omar was the supreme commander of the Taliban. [[Akhtar Mansour|Mullah Akhtar Mansour]] was elected as his replacement in 2015,<ref name="Mansoor-elected">* {{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/144382.stm | title=Analysis: Who are the Taleban? | date=20 December 2000 | work=BBC News}}
* {{Cite web |title=From the article on the Taliban in Oxford Islamic Studies Online |url=http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2325?_hi=34&_pos=4 |access-date=27 August 2010 |publisher=Oxford Islamic Studies}}
* [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33721074 Mullah Omar: Taliban choose deputy Mansour as successor], BBC News, 30 July 2015</ref> and following Mansour's killing in a May 2016 US drone strike, Mawlawi [[Hibatullah Akhundzada]] became the group's leader.<ref name="Akhundzada">{{Cite web |date=26 May 2015 |title=Afghan Taliban announce successor to Mullah Mansour |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36375975 |access-date=26 May 2016 |website=BBC News}}</ref>

The Taliban initially enjoyed goodwill from Afghans weary of the warlords' corruption, brutality, and incessant fighting.<ref>Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim world / editor in chief, Richard C. Martin, Macmillan Reference US : Thomson/Gale, 2004</ref>
This popularity was not universal, particularly among non-Pashtuns.

In 2001, the Taliban, ''[[de jure]]'', controlled 85% of Afghanistan. ''De facto'' the areas under its direct control were mainly Afghanistan's major cities and highways. Tribal [[Khan (title)|khans]] and warlords had ''de facto'' direct control over various small towns, villages, and rural areas.<ref>Griffiths 226.</ref>
[[File:Taliban-herat-2001 retouched.jpg|upright|thumb|left|Taliban police patrolling the streets of [[Herat]] in a pick-up truck]]

Rashid described the Taliban government as "a secret society run by [[Kandahar]]is ... mysterious, secretive, and dictatorial."<ref name="Rashid 2000 98" /> They did not hold elections, as their spokesman explained:

{{blockquote|The ''[[Sharia]]'' does not allow politics or political parties. That is why we give no salaries to officials or soldiers, just food, clothes, shoes, and weapons. We want to live a life like the Prophet lived 1400 years ago, and jihad is our right. We want to recreate the time of the Prophet, and we are only carrying out what the Afghan people have wanted for the past 14 years.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rashid|2000|p=43}} Interview with Mullah Wakil, March 1996</ref>}}

They modelled their decision-making process on the Pashtun tribal council (''[[jirga]]''), together with what they believed to be the early Islamic model. Discussion was followed by a building of a consensus by the "believers".<ref name="Rashid 2000 95" /> Before capturing Kabul, there was talk of stepping aside once a government of "good Muslims" took power, and law and order were restored.

As the Taliban's power grew, decisions were made by Mullah Omar without consulting the ''jirga'' and without consulting other parts of the country. He visited the capital, Kabul, only twice while in power. Instead of an election, their leader's legitimacy came from an oath of allegiance ("[[Bay'ah]]"), in imitation of the Prophet and the first four [[Caliph]]s. On 4 April 1996, Mullah Omar had "the [[Cloak of Muhammad|Cloak of the Prophet Mohammed]]" taken from its shrine for the first time in 60 years. Wrapping himself in the relic, he appeared on the roof of a building in the center of Kandahar while hundreds of Pashtun [[mullah]]s below shouted "[[Amir al-Mu'minin]]!" (Commander of the Faithful), in a pledge of support. Taliban spokesman Mullah Wakil explained:

{{blockquote|Decisions are based on the advice of the Amir-ul Momineen. For us consultation is not necessary. We believe that this is in line with the ''Sharia''. We abide by the Amir's view even if he alone takes this view. There will not be a head of state. Instead there will be an Amir al-Mu'minin. Mullah Omar will be the highest authority, and the government will not be able to implement any decision to which he does not agree. General elections are incompatible with ''Sharia'' and therefore we reject them.<ref name="ReferenceD" />}}

The Taliban were very reluctant to share power, and since their ranks were overwhelmingly Pashtun they ruled as overlords over the 60% of Afghans from other ethnic groups. In local government, such as Kabul city council<ref name="Rashid 2000 98">{{Harvnb|Rashid|2000|p=98}}.</ref> or Herat,<ref name="rashid 39-40">{{Harvnb|Rashid|2000|pp=39–40}}.</ref> Taliban loyalists, not locals, dominated, even when the Pashto-speaking Taliban could not communicate with the roughly half of the population who spoke Dari or other non-Pashtun tongues.<ref name="rashid 39-40" /> Critics complained that this "lack of local representation in urban administration made the Taliban appear as an occupying force."<ref name="rashid 101-102" />