Final answer:
Al-Qaeda was created by Osama bin Laden following the Soviet-Afghan war as an anti-Western Islamist group. It gained international infamy after the September 11 attacks, leading to the U.S. 'War on Terror' initiative, which targeted al-Qaeda and sought to rebuild Afghanistan.
Step-by-step explanation:
Origins of Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda was established by Osama bin Laden as a militant Islamist organization. The formation of this group was in response to complex socio-political factors, including the aftermath of the Soviet-Afghan war. After the war against the Soviet Union, the support of the United States for Afghan rebel groups waned, and internal conflicts arose within Afghanistan. Bin Laden, who had previously benefited from U.S. support in the fight against the Soviets, used this opportunity to establish training camps in Afghanistan for his new resistance group, al-Qaeda. The organization was founded on anti-Western ideologies and targeted the West, especially the United States, despite earlier receiving U.S. support against the Soviets.
The terrorist network became globally notorious following the September 11 attacks, which led to the U.S. initiating the 'War on Terror.' This sequence of events unfolded a complicated relationship between the United States and al-Qaeda, with the former invading Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom to dismantle al-Qaeda training camps, displace the Taliban government, and attempt to capture bin Laden.
Despite being targeted by military efforts, al-Qaeda's leadership, including Osama bin Laden, initially managed to evade capture. This further extended the U.S. campaign in the region, which now included efforts to rebuild Afghanistan's civil society and support democratic governance while combating al-Qaeda's presence and influence.