What is the Taliban's role in the novel?

Religion affects everyone in this novel. The females, especially must live with the constant doctrines of Islam interpreted by the males in their life. Afghanistan is governed by Islamic Law. There is no separation between church and state; the church is the state. Mariam, as a young girl, sees how her mother is treated. Religious scripture allows men to have more than one wife. Her mother, not married to Jalil (a wealthy theatre owner) is thrown out after she becomes pregnant. Married women seem barely protected under religious law, mistresses have completely no protection. Miriam is born and from a very young age discovers that the only choice a woman has is to survive in Afghanistan's Islamic theocracy. When the Taliban come to power things for women, believe it or not, get worse. All the women protagonists, except for Laila, meet some kind of terrible ending. Their deaths are directly related to the cruelty of men. These men, weather individuals or the state, interpret Islamic law for their own gratification.