On This Day

New York Times says Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked forces to kill US and coalition troops in Afghani

New York Times says Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked forces to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan

The Taliban, which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is an Afghan political and militant organization with an ideology comprising elements of the Deobandi movement of Islamic fundamentalism and Pashtun nationalism. It ruled approximately 90% of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, before it was overthrown by an American-led invasion after the September 11 attacks carried out by the Taliban's ally al-Qaeda. Following a 20-year insurgency and the departure of coalition forces, the Taliban recaptured Kabul in August 2021, overthrowing the Islamic Republic, and now controls all of Afghanistan. The Taliban has been condemned for restricting human rights, including women's rights to work and have an education, and for the persecution of ethnic minorities.

Historical Significance

The Taliban, which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is an Afghan political and militant organization with an ideology comprising elements of the Deobandi movement of Islamic fundamentalism and Pashtun nationalism.

Events Before

  1. Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his 3rd PDC World Darts Championship; beats Englishman Michael Smith 7-3 at the Alexand

    Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his 3rd PDC World Darts Championship; beats Englishman Michael Smith 7-3 at the Alexandra Palace in London

  2. US grounds all Boeing 737 Max aircraft after bans by other countries following the plane type's second crash in Ethiopia

    The Boeing 737 MAX is a series of narrow-body aircraft developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes as the fourth generation of the Boeing 737.

  3. Climate change strikes held by schoolchildren take place around the world, inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg

    Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg is a Swedish activist best known for pressuring governments to address climate change and social issues.

  4. Syrian Democratic Forces announce that the last Islamic State territory has been retaken, raising flags in Baghuz, Syria

    Syrian Democratic Forces announce that the last Islamic State territory has been retaken, raising flags in Baghuz, Syria, and ending the five-year Islamic State "caliphate"

  5. Amazon's Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos agree record-breaking $35 billion divorce settlement

    Amazon's Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos agree record-breaking $35 billion divorce settlement

Events After

  1. Cuba's "day zero" unifies its two currencies by withdrawing the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), alongside steep increases

    Cuba's "day zero" unifies its two currencies by withdrawing the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), alongside steep increases in prices and salaries, effectively devaluing the remaining Cuban Peso for the first time since 1959 [1]

  2. First Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are given to the general public, with 82-year-old Brian Pinker in the UK the

    First Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are given to the general public, with 82-year-old Brian Pinker in the UK the first to receive the jab [1]

  3. Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., during Congress’s certification of Joe

    Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., during Congress’s certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s victory, resulting in five deaths and prompting the evacuation of lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence

  4. Military coup in Myanmar; civilian leaders are detained, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and a one-year state of emergency i

    Military coup in Myanmar; civilian leaders are detained, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and a one-year state of emergency is declared (still in effect)

  5. Kim Kardashian West files for divorce from her third husband, Kanye West after almost seven years

    Khloé Alexandra Kardashian is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman.

More from the 2020s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 26, 2020?
The Taliban, which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is an Afghan political and militant organization with an ideology comprising elements of the Deobandi movement of Islamic fundamentalism and Pashtun nationalism. It ruled approximately 90% of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, before it was overthrown by an American-led invasion after the September 11 attacks carried out by the Taliban's ally al-Qaeda. Following a 20-year insurgency and the departure of coalition forces, the Taliban recaptured Kabul in August 2021, overthrowing the Islamic Republic, and now controls all of Afghanistan.
Why is New York Times says Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked forces... significant?
The Taliban, which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is an Afghan political and militant organization with an ideology comprising elements of the Deobandi movement of Islamic fundamentalism and Pashtun nationalism.

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