How did the Taliban establish a theocratic regime in Afghanistan in 1996?

The Taliban emerged in late 1994 as a movement of religious students, or madrasah students, led by Mullah Mohammad Omar. Their rise to power was facilitated by the widespread instability, corruption, and lawlessness that plagued Afghanistan following the collapse of the communist regime and the subsequent civil war between rival mujahideen factions.12

The Taliban gained initial popularity by successfully subduing predatory warlords and restoring a degree of order in areas like Kandahār. Their territorial expansion was further aided by the war-weariness of the Afghan people, financial support from Saudi Arabia, and strategic backing from Pakistan, which sought a stable, friendly regime to secure trade routes to Central Asia.12

By September 1996, the Taliban captured Kabul, forcing the government of Burhanuddin Rabbani to flee. Upon establishing control, they implemented a repressive theocratic regime characterized by a strict interpretation of law, combining Deobandi traditionalism, Wahhābī puritanism, and the Pashtun social code, Pashtunwali.12