Afghan men during a game of buzkashi, brought to the country by Genghis Khan in the 12th/13th century AD. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girls out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Boys sit astride the barrel of a tank in Kabul, which suffered more destruction in the 1990s than any other city. Five different armies fought in Kabul's streets since the departure of the Soviets in 1989. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girls out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

A man sweeps the street in ruined Kabul, which suffered more destruction in the 1990s than any other city. Five different armies fought in Kabul's streets since the departure of the Soviets in 1989. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girls out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Land mine victims learn to walk in a ICRC clinic in Kabul. During the Afghan civil war, soldiers seeded the ground with land mines, the most in any city in the world. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girls out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

A victim of the violence cries with pain as the bandages are changed on his amputated legs in a hospital in Kabul. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Afghan women mourn their dead during the last stage of the civil war in Afghanistan. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

A woman grieves on her brother's grave, who was killed by a Taliban rocket. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Spectators in Kabul watch the public hanging of two men who murdered a shepherd. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Spectators watch the public hanging of two men who murdered a shepherd. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Sufi mystics worship at a mosque in Kabul. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

The annual self-flagellation ritual of Shiite Muslims in the streets of Kabul, to commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein, the prophet Muhammad's grandson. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

Kabul's main street is reduced to rubble after years of civil war. After 4,5 years of civil war in Afghanistan, the fundamentalist Taliban movement conquered Kabul in October 1996. They were hailed as peace-bearing heroes. Immediately after their victory, the Taliban started to impose strict Islamic law on its one million inhabitants, in order to transform Afghanistan in a devout Islamic state. During their first week in power, the Taliban shut girl out of schools and ordered women workers from offices and hospitals. Men were given a month to grow beards, and the depiction of human figures became forbidden. At the first Friday prayer, Taliban soldiers forces passersby into mosques at gunpoint.

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