FATA Region as a factor shaping the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan

The primary objective of this study is to explore the role played by the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in the formation and development of Taliban organizations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The study employed a methodology based on literature review, historical analysis, and an assessment of regional dynamics. The findings demonstrate that the foundations of FATA's administrative structure were laid by the "Frontier Crimes Regulation" (FCR) system implemented by the British colonial administration in the late 19th century. This regulation left the region largely independent of central authority, institutionalized traditional laws, and consolidated the traditional authority of tribal leaders. The findings also reveal that after Pakistan gained independence in 1947, FATA, despite being constitutionally part of the country, was excluded from the state's political, economic, and legal institutions due to its special status and the continuation of British-era FCR laws. The research notes that, with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-1989, FATA became a logistics and training center for the Afghan Mujahideen. The increasing number of madrassas, which became increasingly politicized during this period, emerged as institutions that formed the Taliban's ideological infrastructure. The US invasion of Afghanistan, which began in 2001, paved the way for the Taliban to seek refuge in FATA and begin a process of reconstruction. Pakistan's support for the US in this process is considered to be one of the main dynamics that triggered the emergence of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) in FATA. Keywords: Durand Line, FATA, Taliban, Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan, Afghanistan