The strict Islamic armed group that took control of most of Afghanistan in the 1990s, ruling from 1996 until an international force removed them from power in 2001. They became known outside Afghanistan for enforcing a very strict version of Islamic law — especially rules limiting what women could do, such as going to school or working. They also let Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda members stay in the country, and refused to hand him over to the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001. They returned to power in 2021. A few things about the word itself: it is a proper noun, written with a capital T, and it almost always takes "the" in front — the Taliban. English speakers use it both as a plural ("the Taliban were in control") and, less often, as a single body ("the Taliban was in control"); both are heard in newspapers. Grammatically it is already plural in the original language, so you will not usually see "Talibans". One member is a Taliban fighter or a member of the Taliban. In loose everyday speech, some people use "the Taliban" as an insult for anyone who forces strict rules on others — that use is careless and can offend, so it is better to keep the word for the actual group.