Most Taleban accepted their world had changed.
An important site of early historical activities, many believe that Afghanistan compares to in terms of the historical value of its archaeological sites.
He is close to Bin Laden and Mullah Omar and is considered a hardliner.
A Taliban source said the decision came after a meeting late Tuesday by senior officials in the southern city of Kandahar, the movement's de facto power centre and conservative spiritual heartland.
Zelin is the Richard Borow Fellow at The Washington Institute and a visiting research scholar at Brandeis University.
It was not just military, but political and emotional.