Page "Mazar-i-Sharif" Paragraph 10

Between May and July 1997, the Taliban unsuccessfully attempted to take Mazar, leading to approximately 3, 000 Taliban soldiers being executed or massacred by Abdul Malik and his Shia followers.

In retaliation for this incident, the Taliban on August 8, 1998, returned and led a six-day killing frenzy of Hazaras, a report the Taliban denied at that time.

Soon after, the city was occupied and taken over by the Taliban.

It was this capture of Mazar, the last major city in Afghanistan to fall to the Taliban, that prompted Pakistan's recognition of the Taliban regime.

Soon afterward, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia extended official recognition to the regime, while Turkmenistan resumed relations – although the Taliban were not officially recognized by Turkmenbashi as the rulers of Afghanistan.