Who Are the Taliban and How Did They Conquer Afghanistan? - Reading Comprehension Text

Following 20 years of war, the Taliban completed a shockingly rapid advance across Afghanistan by capturing Kabul on August 15, 2021. The capture came after foreign forces announced their withdrawal following a deal between the US and the Taliban, two decades after US forces removed the militants from power in 2001. The 20-year war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.

This Reading Comprehension / Informational Text focuses on the history of Taliban - the ultraconservative political and religious faction that emerged in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s.

This activity is suitable for advanced to proficient ESL learners or native English speakers. After carefully reading the text, students are required to complete some comprehension exercises including:

• comprehension questions
• a multiple choice exercise
• a crossword

This resource can be used as a mini-lesson, assigned for homework or used to for vocabulary building purposes.

Total number of pages: 6
Answer key included