Afghanistan: Talibaan commander killed - timeline
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Timeline
- February 2007. The Talibaan attack and occupy the town of Musa Qala.
- January 2007. US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates makes his first official visit to Afghanistan since taking office, meeting with President Hamid Karzai. Gates says that he is "strongly inclined" to recommend to US President George W. Bush an increase in US troops in the country, which had been requested by US commanders in response to the escalating insurgency and to counter the expected upsurge in violence during the Talibaan's annual spring offensive. Gates, while praising Pakistan as a strong US ally, states that there has been a "significant increase" in cross-border attacks from Pakistan and that "al-Qaida networks are operating on the Pakistan side" of the border.
- December 2006. A dispute between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan over responsibility for cross-border security escalates.
- November 2006. NATO assumes control of coalition forces in the east of the country, taking over from the US-led alliance in a transfer that sees NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) increase by 12,000 troops to around 31,000 throughout the country. The increase comes amid complaints by local leaders that a NATO bombing raid on Panjwayi district, in Kandahar province in October 2006, killed at least 85 civilians.
- August 2006. An upsurge in violence is described as the worst since the fall of the Talibaan in 2001.
- March 2006. Relations with Pakistan are strained over security in the border areas; the Talibaan launch a spring offensive.
- September 2005. The first democratic legislative elections since 1969 are held.
- October 2004. Hamid Karzai wins the first national direct presidential elections.
- January 2004. A new multiparty democratic constitution is adopted, establishing a strong presidential system of government, but with measures to ensure the upholding of Islamic law. Men and women are given equal rights, and, in a last-minute amendment to reduce inter-ethnic tensions, a number of minority languages spoken in the north are added to the list of official languages.
- January 2002. US forces continue operations against pockets of Talibaan resistance fighters who refuse to surrender.
- December 2001. The Talibaan regime is overthrown by the US-led coalition and the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (UIFSA). Leaders of the major Afghan ethnic groups in Bonn, Germany, agree to form an interim government. Pashtun royalist Hamid Karzai is sworn in as interim President.
- October 2001. The US-led coalition forces launch air strikes on Afghanistan after the Talibaan fail to hand over Osama bin Laden, prime suspect for instigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the USA.
- September 2001. The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the USA are attributed to Osama bin Laden.
- October 1999. The UN imposes sanctions on the Talibaan regime in an attempt to make them hand over Osama bin Laden to the US authorities for trial on terrorism charges. The UN also condemns the Talibaan's ongoing military offensive within Afghanistan.
- October 1997. Opponents of the Talibaan, in a coalition known as the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (UIFSA), make some gains in the fierce civil conflict.
- September 1996. Hardline Islamist Talibaan seize control of Kabul and impose a strict Islamic regime.
- March 1993. A peace accord between mujaheddin factions accepts ethnic Tajik, Burhanuddin Rabbani, as President.
- May 1990. Constitutional amendments legalising political parties are adopted.
- May 1988. Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, the USA, and Pakistan sign peace accords and the Soviet Union starts to withdraw its troops.
- November 1987. A new constitution legalising some political activities is adopted.
- March 1986. The USA begins supplying mujaheddin guerrillas with Stinger missiles to help them attack Soviet forces.
- December 1979. The Soviet Union invades and occupies Afghanistan.
- June 1978. President Daud is overthrown and killed in a coup by the pro-communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). The 1977 constitution is suspended.
- July 1977. A new constitution establishing a one-party state and abolishing the monarchy is approved.
- November 1973. A plot to stage a coup against the newly-established regime of President Mohammed Daud is foiled.
- August 1973. Former Prime Minister Lt-Gen. Daud seizes power in a coup and declares a republic, ousting King Zahir Shah.
- January 1973. Severe drought leads to famine, which provokes political tensions.
- December 1969. The second democratic general election is held.
- February 1966. Kubra Noorzai, formerly dean of home economics at the University of Kabul, becomes Afghanistan's first female Cabinet minister when she is appointed Minister of Public Health.
- November 1965. Afghanistan's first democratic general election is held.
- August 1964. A new constitution permitting the legalisation of political parties and introducing constitutional monarchy is introduced.
- June 1963. Afghanistan and Pakistan re-establish diplomatic and trade relations, which had been broken off in September 1961.
- May 1963. Mohammed Yusuf becomes the first non-member of the royal family to serve as Prime Minister.
- May 1961. Fighting breaks out in the Bajaur area of the Pakistani frontier with Afghanistan (north of the Khyber Pass), following similar clashes in September 1960. The Pakistani government announces that it has repelled Afghan incursions on its territory allegedly carried out with the support of the Afghan army, while the Afghan government alleges that the Pakistani armed forces were engaged in operations against discontented Pathan tribesmen.
- May 1955. Large-scale demonstrations against the Pakistani government's policy and in favour of the formation of an independent Pathan State (variously referred to as "Pakhtoonistan," "Pathanistan," and "Pushtunistan") are held in Kabul.
- November 1950. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan increase during 1950 over the question of independence for "Pathanistan". The pro-"Pathanistan" movement is said to be actively supported by the Fakir of Ipi, who, at the time of British rule in India, had been responsible for many tribal risings in Waziristan (North West Frontier Province) and had been outlawed by the authorities, but reports state that the leaders of the Waziristan tribes have reaffirmed their loyalty to Pakistan.
- March 1949. Tensions arise between Pakistan and Afghanistan after an Afghan propaganda campaign demanding that areas of the North-West Frontier Province and tribal territories should be recognised as an independent "Pathanistan" and given the "right of self-determination."
- July 1947. Tensions with India increase after the Afghan government formally notes that tribesmen in the Indian territory of North-West Frontier Province (now in Pakistan), near the Afghan border, wish to dissociate themselves from India.
- October 1940. Afghanistan declares its neutrality in World War II.
- November 1933. King Nadir Shah is assassinated. His son, Mohammed Zahir Shah, accedes to the throne but power resides with Nadir's brother, Marshal Shah Mahmud, who becomes Prime Minister.
- 1929. King Amanullah is ousted by Habibullah Khan; Habibullah Khan is overthrown and King Nadir Shah accedes to the throne.
- 1921. The British are defeated after the third Anglo-Afghan war and full independence is achieved.
- 1919. King Amanullah Khan issues a unilateral declaration of independence from the UK.
