War in Afghanistan

By annsdunn

  • Soviet Union Invasion of Afghanistan

    Soviet Union decides to invade Afghanistan under military leader Leonid Brezhnev to help spread the idea of Communism.

  • Mujahideen and Supporters Expel Soviet Union

    The Mujahideen, a guerilla force in Afghanistan, pushes out the Soviet Union who is under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev. The Mujahideen were supplied weapons and other items by allies (which includes the United States). This leads to Osama Bin Laden's resentment of America. He saw it as Western civilization meddling in an Arab affair.

  • Burhanuddin Rabbani President of Afghanistan

    After Soviet Union leaves, Mujahideen factions agree on formation of a government with ethnic Tajik (Burhanuddin Rabbani)

  • Taliban Takes Kabul

    Taliban seize control of Kabul and introduce hard-line version of Islam, banning women from work, and introducing Islamic punishments, which include stoning to death and amputations. Rabbani flees to join anti-Taliban northern alliance.

  • Taliban Growth

    Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates recognized the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.Taliban now control about two-thirds of country

  • UN Demands Osama Bin Laden

    UN imposes further sanctions, along with a previous air embargo put on Afghanistan in 1999, on Taliban to force them to hand over Osama bin Laden who was suspected of bombing U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998

  • 9/11 Attacks

    Complete 9/11 Timeline

  • Operation Enduring Freedom

    Was US’s first military answer to the attacks of 9/11, starts with a bombing campaign on selected targets in the Afghan countryside. On October 19, Special Forces troops are deployed to occupy parts of the country in collaboration with the Northern Alliance, an armed faction hostile towards the Taliban government. In the following weeks, a fierce hunt ensues for members of the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

  • Taliban Give up Kandahar

    The Taliban give up their stronghold of Kandahar to the U.S. and allies after losing 200+ soldiers. Osama bin Laden is nowhere to be found.

  • Karzai President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

    He wins the first election in Afghanistan since the Taliban were eradicated from the country