Tal ‧ i ‧ ban BrE AmE , Taleban, the /ˈtɑːlɪˌbɑːn/
a group which took control of most of Afghanistan in 1997 by defeating other groups fighting in the ↑ civil war there. The Taliban were known for following the laws of Islam very strictly, especially regarding the social position of women. They also allowed Osama bin Laden and other members of al-Qaeda to stay in Afghanistan, and refused to hand bin Laden over to the US authorities after September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, in the US. US forces then ↑ invade d Afghanistan and the Taliban were defeated in the war.