Taliban vs. Mujahideen — What's the Difference?

The Taliban (; Pashto: طالبان‎, romanized: ṭālibān, lit. 'students' or 'seekers') or Taleban (, ), who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), is a Deobandi Islamist movement and military organization in Afghanistan, currently waging war (an insurgency, or jihad) within the country. Since 2016, the Taliban's leader has been Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada.From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban held power over roughly three-quarters of Afghanistan, and enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law.

Mujahideen, or Mujahidin (Arabic: مُجَاهِدِين, romanized: mujāhidīn), is the plural form of mujahid (Arabic: مجاهد, romanized: mujāhid, lit. 'strugglers or strivers [for justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc.], doers of jihād'), an Arabic term that broadly refers to Islamic guerrillas who engage in jihad (lit. 'struggle or striving [for justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc.]'), interpreted in a jurisprudence of Islam as the fight on behalf of God, religion or the community (ummah).The widespread use of the word in English began with reference to the guerrilla-type militant groups led by the Islamist Afghan fighters in the Soviet–Afghan War (see Afghan mujahideen). The term now extends to other jihadist groups in various countries such as Myanmar (Burma), Cyprus, and the Philippines.

A fundamentalist Muslim group of Afghanistan and western Pakistan, known for its military and paramilitary activities.

Plural of mujahid

A fundamentalist Islamic militia; in 1995 the Taliban militia took over Afghanistan and in 1996 took Kabul and set up an Islamic government;

A military force of Muslim guerilla warriors engaged in a jihad;