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The Soviets invaded Afganistan in order to deter U.S. interference with Afghanistan, gain a stragetic foothold in Southwest Asia, an to attempt to contain the radical Islamic revolution in Iran.
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After the Soviets left Afghanistan, the Afghanistan communist government fought against the Mujahideen and the Taliban for control.
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In 1988, Afghanistan, USSR, the US and Pakistan signed peace accords and Soviet Union began to pull out troops. All troops are withdrawn by February 1989.
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Afghan political parties signed the Peshawar Accord which created the Islamic State of Afghanistan.
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Abdul Ali Mazari, who was a political leader of the Hezbe Wahdat, a politically diverse Afghanistan political party, is tortured and killed by the Taliban.
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The Taliban, with support from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, take over Kabul, and turn it into the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They enforce their laws upon the citizens and massacre many innocent civilians.
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Ahmad Shah Massoud is assassinated by Al Qaeda. He fought against the Soviets and the Taliban.
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After the fall of the Taliban, Hamid Karzai helped rebuild the country's political structure into a democracy. He is still the president today.
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Nato takes control of security in Kabul; it is its first ever operational commitment outside of Europe.
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The constitution provided for an elected president and National Assembly. Approved during the loya jirga.
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Most Parliament seats are overtaken by warlords, which is part of the cause for the corruption problem in Afghan government today.
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Shah, who was the last king of Afghanistan, dies. He reigned for four decades, and is said to be the "Father of the Nation", even though he was exiled in 1973.
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In order to reverse the Taliban's momentum and strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan's security forces and government, Obama sends additional troops to Afghanistan.
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Burning of Koran by a US pastor prompts country-wide protests in which foreign UN workers and several Afghans are killed.
