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History > Afghan War Timeline
1979-1989. The
Soviet invasion and
occupation of Afghanistan.
1989-1992. The
Afghan Civil War (1989-1992).
1992-1996. The
Afghan Civil War (1992-1996).
1996-2001. The Taliban regime.
The Taliban win out against the Kabul regime (composed of the different
mujahideen factions).
2000
2000. United Nations imposes
sanctions in failed attempt to force the Taliban regime to hand over Osama
Bin Laden.
2001
September 11, 2001. Al Qaeda terrorists hyjack
four airplanes and fly them three of them into the Pentagon and the World
Trade Center buildings. A fourth airplane does not make it to its intended
target due to intervention by passengers, and instead crashes into a farm
field.
2001. The Buddha statues in
Bamiyan are destroyed by the Taliban. Massoud, the Northern Alliance
leader is assassinated on September 9. On September 11 the 9/11 attacks
take place in the United States. 1.
October 7, 2001. U.S.-led
coalition begins a bombing campaign by American and British forces.
Logistical support is provided by France, Germany, Canada, and Australia.
The offensive was targeting the al-Qaida organization and the
fundamentalist Taliban government.
Fall 2001. The U.S. Army Special
Forces inserted 300 Green Berets and the Central Intelligence Agency
infiltrated 100 agents to link up with and work alongside the Northern
Alliance to mount an offensive against the Taliban.
November 16, 2001. The U.S. began bombing remnants
of Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the mountains of Tora Bora. At the same
time, U.S. Army Green Berets, British Special Air Service troops, and CIA
operatives were coordinating with local warlords for an attack on enemy
positions in the Tora Bora mountain range.
December 2001. The U.S., aided by special operations
forces of other allies, assist the Northern Alliance and Pashtu resistance
groups in toppling the Taliban regime.
2002
The U.S. moves into
Afghanistan with a force of 8,000. European and other nations also
contributed forces - primarily in the Kabul area. Hamid Karzai is selected
as leader by Loya
Jirga.
2003
New constitution is drafted
and debated. Parts of the country still not secured.
2004
Karzai is elected president
in first nationwide election. A constitution is ratified. Security
problems continue.
2006
ISAF takes the lead for
security throughout the country. The insurgency gains strength. The Afghan
government proves to be corrupt and inept - unable to provide government
services thereby fueling the insurgency.
2007
The insurgency gains
strength.
2009
Provincial council and
presidential elections take place. Hamid Karzai is re-elected by way of
fraud and corruption. The 30,000 man surge begins; primarily in the south
of Afghanistan.
2010
The Afghanistan Peace and
Reintegration Program is established.
2011
The surge of troops ends.
ISAF begins "partnering" phase of the war.
2012
Chicago Summit takes place
- changing the role of ISAF. "Partnering" transitions to "Security Force
Assistance".
2013
Troop levels decline. ANSF
is in the lead; ISAF continues to advise and assist through Security Force
Assistance. The retrograde of
troops and equipment begins. Introduction of "Functionally-based Security
Force Assistance". In November 2013 a
Loya Jirga is held which overwhelming endorses the signing of the
Bilateral
Security Agreement.
Fall 2013. Karzai refuses to sign the Bilateral
Security Agreement. Presidential elections scheduled for April.
2014
U.S. troop levels fall to 32,000 in February.
April 5. Afghanistan holds nation-wide elections.
The first two runner-ups (Abdullah and Ghani) head to run-off elections.
June 14. Afghanistan holds presidential run-off
elections. Massive ballot box fraud takes place putting election results
in doubt.
September 21, 2014. Ghani and Abdullah sign an
agreement to share power in the National Unity Government (NUG). Ghani as
president and Abdullah as chief executive officer with "prime minister
like" duties.
September 30, 2014. Afghanistan and the United
States sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) providing legal basis
for the U.S. in Afghanistan. The NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is
signed.
December 28, 2014. NATO ends the ISAF mission in
Afghanistan.
2015
January 1, 2015. The NATO
Resolute Support Mission
begins.
2020
February 2020. The United States and Taliban
representatives sign a 'withdrawal agreement' providing for a steady
decline in U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan within one year.
Fall 2020. President Trump tweets that all U.S.
troops should return from Afghanistan by Christmas.
More Info on Afghan War Timeline
Return to Hope - Timeline by NATO
www.returntohope.com/timeline
Timeline: Afghanistan Since 1700 by The
Cairo Review of Global Affairs.
www.aucegypt.edu/GAPP/CairoReview/Pages/articleDetails.aspx?aid=684
Daily Mail (UK) Timeline
www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2889004/NATOs-Afghan-war-one-chapter-decades-conflict.html
1999 to Present: U.S. War in Afghanistan.
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) presents an interactive timeline of
the Afghan conflict.
www.cfr.org/afghanistan/us-war-afghanistan/p20018
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Endnotes
1. See the CIA's short story entitled
"On the Front Lines: CIA in Afghanistan", July 23, 2012.
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