GK Quiz on Afghanistan and Taliban: Test your knowledge here

Take this GK Quiz on Afghanistan and Taliban to test your knowledge on the same. This years competitive exams are expected to be including questions from this topic since a lot of trouble has been faced by this nation which has gathered worldwide attention. Solve the questions below. 

1. What does the Taliban refer to themselves as?

1. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 
2. Emirate of Afghanistan
3. Students of Afghanistan
4. None of the above 

Ans. a

Explanation: The Taliban refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).  

Read| Origins of Taliban: Know the history and what this Islamist group actually wants here

2. Who was the founder of Taliban?

1. Mohammed Omar
2. Abdul Ghani Baradar 
3. Akhtar Mansour
4. Both a and b 

Ans. d

Explanation: Taliban was founded by Mohammed Omar (1994–2013) and co founder- Abdul Ghani Baradar

3. In which year did the Taliban gain power over Afghanistan?

1. 1994
2. 1996
3. 2001
4. 2016

Ans. b

Explanation: Taliban gained power over Afghanistan in 1996 and remained in power till 2001. 

4. Which of the following statements is true about the Taliban?

i) They were basically students from Pashtun origin/ areas

ii) Under the leadership of Mohammed Omar, the movement spread across Afghanistan

1. Only i
2. Only ii
3. Both i and ii
4. None of the above 

Ans. c

Explanation: The Taliban emerged in 1994 as one of the prominent factions in the Afghan Civil War and largely consisted of students (talib) from the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan. Under the leadership of Mohammed Omar, the movement spread throughout most of Afghanistan.

5. What was the capital of Afghanistan when the Taliban were in power?

1. Kabul
2. Kandahar
3. Bamiyan
4. Herat

Ans. b

Explanation: The Taliban when ruled transferred the Afghan capital to Kandahar. 

6. Which of the following is the ideology followed by the Taliban?

1. Deobandi Islamism
2. Pashtunwali
3. Both a and b
4. None of the above 

Ans. c

Explanation: The Taliban's ideology has been described as combining a form of sharia Islamic law based on Deobandi fundamentalism and militant Islamism combined with Pashtun social and cultural norms known as Pashtunwali. 

7. In which year did the Soviet Union occupy Afghanistan?

1. 1970
2. 1974
3. 1979
4. 1989

Ans. c

Explanation: The Soviet Union captured and occupied Afghanistan in the year 1979. 

8. Who is the current leader of the Taliban?

1. Ashraf Ghani
2. Haibatullah Akhundzada
3. Mohammed Omar
4. Ayman al-Zawahiri

Ans. b

Explanation: Haibatullah Akhundzada is the current chief of the Taliban. He is a low profile religious man. 

Also Read| Who are Taliban? Know all about the Islamist militant group here