Culture has been at the forefront in the liberation of peoples. Afghan culture has long been a potent force to unite the diverse tribes of Afghans against a common foe. The Taliban also utilised the culture as part of the strategy in their fight against the American forces inside Afghanistan. The article describes the Taliban as a movement deeply rooted in Afghan cultural values, particularly Pashtunwali, and shows how these values—such as melmestia, nanawatai, nang, and badal—have been instrumental in their return to power. The author also considers how the Taliban capitalised on inter-Pashtun rivalries and the dominance of non-Pashtun entities to reassert their influence, positioning themselves as defenders of Pashtun identity and Islam.
