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Zhair Shah begins his reign
Zhair Shah begins his 40 year reign as the Afghan king. His leadership brings stability, but his actions and attitude towards Hazara's leads to the Afghan people's racist attitude towards Hazara's. -
Coup of the Afghan Communist Party
Sitting president Mohammed Khan is killed in a coup by the Afghan Communist Party. Members of the Communist Party take control of the government, and cuts ties with the Soviet Union. At the same time, conservative islamic and ethnic leaders begin an armed revolt to fight non-muslim values introduced my the communist government. In June the guerilla movement Mujahadeen is created to fight the sovied backed government. -
The USSR invades
The USSR invades Afghanistan on Dec. 24 to bolster the faltering communist regime. Widespread opposition to the Soviets spawns violent public demonstrations.
By early 1980, the Mujihadeen rebels have united against Soviet invaders and the USSR-backed Afghan Army -
Mass emigration
As a result of the violent conflict, 2.8 million Afghans have fled from the war to Pakistan, and another 1.5 million have fled to Iran.
Afghan guerrillas gain control of rural areas, and Soviet troops hold urban areas. -
Al-Quida is formed
Osama bin Laden and 15 other Islamists form the group al-Quida. With a goal to continue their jihad against the soviet and others who they say oppose their goal of a pure nation governed by Islam