From History Central:
1996 Taliban Capture Afghanistan At the end of September, the Taliban captured Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
The Taliban originated from a group of students studying at a fundamentalist Islamic school. In a period of two years, the insurgents took control of two-thirds of Afghanistan. Their advance was nearly unopposed.
Many welcomed the Taliban, as they brought the first stabilty to Afghanistan since the Soviet invasion of 1979. However, the Taliban instituted strict Islamic law in all areas that they controlled, and were ruthless to their opponents.
General Background From Various Sources:
FAS.org: Taleban ("the Seekers")
RAWA's (Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan) chronicles the abuses of the Taliban
1996:
CNN: Who are the Taliban of Afghanistan?
US State Dept: Afghanistan Report on Human Rights Practices for 1996
1997:
The Islamic Taliban Movement and the Dangers of Regional Assimilation
Soldiers of Islam: Origins, Ideology and Strategy of the Taliban
1998:
US State Department: Women and Girls in Afghanistan
Report of the Secretary-General on Afghanistan, 1998
1999:
UN Secretary-General: The Situation in Afghanistan
The Taliban: Exporting Extremism
2000:
BBC: Analysis: Who Are the Taleban?
2001:
US State Department: Fact Sheet: The Taliban's Betrayal of the Afghan People
Background Briefing on Taliban Denial and Deception Techniques
Post-2001:
Some Background on the Karzai-Taliban Talks (2008)
US Involved in Talks with Afghan Taliban (2009)
South Asia Analysis Group: Taliban - Its Origin and the Historical Background (2009)